Saints and Sinners

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Kao
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Saints and Sinners

Post by Kao » Sun Apr 26, 2020 11:09 pm

For three and a half days, Kotaru was practically on cloud nine. The normally dark and pessimistic shinobi was fluttering with cautious positivity, which would have been a strange and uncomfortable sight for his subordinates. They were used to the Akari being sour and moody, ready to unleash a harsh comment for the smallest transgression. Instead they were met with a rather tranquil boy. He wasn't exactly smiling but it was clear to all that his usual unpleasantness had diminished so much that he might as well have been grinning from ear to ear.

The morning after he had spent the night at Ume's he woke up with her sleeping next to him. A dull ache gripped his head and his stomach was unsettled, reminding him of the alcohol he had unknowingly consumed the night before. Despite the general gross feeling, Kotaru found that he rather liked the sight of Ume next to him. By late afternoon he had washed up at his own home, swung by the market, and dropped off some untainted juice at Ume's house. The rest of the day was spent working and training at the Jousai headquarters and inadvertently causing considerable unease among his underlings when he didn't insult them for their mistakes.

He wanted to see her again, of course, and make a game plan going forward. But the bannin was a busy man and a last-minute urgent mission sent him rushing out of Iwagakure. When he returned to the village the following day he was exhausted, but the bannin sent her a message to explain his absence. A full day passed without hearing back, and the impatient shinobi decided to drop by her house late in the afternoon.

There was no response to his knock. Kotaru cocked his head to the side, wondering if she had also had a mission come up and not enough time to tell him. To be sure he knocked again. Nothing. With a small huff he started to turn away, but something urged him to turn the doorknob. To his surprise it turned in his hand, and he bristled immediately. In a flash he was armed with a kunai and he made his way inside.

The smell hit him like a punch from Tatsuo. Kotaru recoiled as the heavy smell of alcohol rolled over him. "Ume? Ume!" Still cautious, he ventured further into the house, listening closely for a response.
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

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Saints and Sinners

Post by Willoria » Sun Apr 26, 2020 11:20 pm

Days didn't pass fast or slow, Ume simply didn't track the passing of time. Her house was a bit of a mess, half a dozen bottles strewn in various places about the house and even the backyard. She herself was in the kitchen this time, sitting on the floor with her back against a cabinet. She was spinning one of her push daggers on a finger, leaning her head back and her eyes closed. She heard him calling, but it was like the sound of a faded dream. She simply assumed she was hearing things and remained where she was, the knife in her right hand and an open bottle in her left. She sipped at it casually, eyelids drooping as she clearly hadn't sobered up in some time, and her blue hair was a complete mess.

The worst part of it all was probably her arms. She had a couple of small scratches on either upper arm that were shallow. There was a rather deep one on her left forearm. It had clearly bled heavily before it had stopped, but no major veins or arteries had been hit. Given the fact that she had medical training it was clear that while she had hurt herself, she hadn't actually tried to kill herself.

Eventually she heard his footsteps, and looked over and up to see Kotaru looking at her. "You here to yell too?"
The Tales of the Aes Sedai Fukusha Reina - Iwagakure No Sato - Jounin - #EF2B2D Atsushi Cho - Tea Country - D Rank Samurai - #A34402 Hanzo - Sunagakure No Sato - Genin - #35C4AF

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Saints and Sinners

Post by Kao » Sun Apr 26, 2020 11:46 pm

"Yell about what? You being a slob?" he replied while wrinkling his nose and turning on the nearest light. He tucked the kunai back into his leg pouch and looked around the living room, taking in the mess that surrounded him. It was a disaster, especially to someone like Kotaru who preferred houses to be tidy. From the sound of it she was in the kitchen so he headed in that direction, stepping over discarded empty bottles.

When he saw her fully he stopped in his tracks. His eyes immediately found the angry red lines criss-crossing her arms. "Ume, what-" Kotaru wanted to believe it was from training but the knife in her hand quickly shoved the thought from his head. In the next moment he was standing directly above her, reaching to take the knife from her hand and toss it into the sink, followed by the nearly empty bottle. He would then scoop her up and carry her to the couch, kicking aside any trash that might have been in the way.

Ume had been in similar condition once before. He swallowed thickly and channeled chakra to his hand, using iijutsu to make sure that she wasn't still bleeding on her arms or anywhere else. "Ume. Ume, it's me, talk to me." He pushed her messy hair from her face and then gently placed a hand on each cheek to try to get her to look at him. Something had happened, something perhaps worse than when he had found her alone in Eastern Rock Country...he just didn't know what.
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

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Saints and Sinners

Post by Willoria » Sun Apr 26, 2020 11:53 pm

Ume felt a mirthless laugh come from her lips as he rounded the corner, but it was quickly cut off as he took the knife and bottle from her. "Hey hey hey hey hey..." she said over and over again, protesting as he scooped her up. But having been drunk for at least 2-3 days straight, she was hardly able to struggle against him much less make any actual headway. She grumbled as she was put on the couch and she saw the tell-tale green glow of Iijutsu and groaned at him. Wearing very little, in fact only wearing boyshort style underwear, a sports bra, and a robe, she tried to make her way off the couch, only to have him force her to look at him. Her eyes were well glazed over, eyelids drooping with the drink as she grimaced at him.

"Stupid." she said, shaking her head. "Stupid of me." she added, giggling once more as she leaned back on the couch and looked at him again. "I don't get to be happy right? I'm not allowed." she laughed and shook her head. "He saw us you know. Fucking stalker bastard." she said grumpily, eyes darting around the room as she sought another drink. "Just wanna pull that red hair out of his damn head."
The Tales of the Aes Sedai Fukusha Reina - Iwagakure No Sato - Jounin - #EF2B2D Atsushi Cho - Tea Country - D Rank Samurai - #A34402 Hanzo - Sunagakure No Sato - Genin - #35C4AF

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Kao
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Saints and Sinners

Post by Kao » Mon Apr 27, 2020 12:15 am

The crease in his brow furrowed more deeply as he took in her words. She was making no sense, and he could barely make out what she was saying through the alcohol-laden speech. "Who? Who saw us? Damn it - focus, Ume," he snapped his fingers in front of her face and then forced her to keep her head steady, to look at him and not at anything else in the room. When she mentioned red hair he scoffed. "You mean Tatsuo? What are you talking about, how would he have seen us?" The girl was making no sense at all, and Kotaru wasn't even sure if it was Tatsuo she was talking about. He rushed to bring her a glass of water to sober her up, and in the kitchen he noticed drops and smears of blood scattered all over the floor and counters.

"Drink," he commanded, sitting her up and placing the glass in her hand. Somehow she had fallen apart in three days. "Just...what happened?"
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

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Saints and Sinners

Post by Willoria » Mon Apr 27, 2020 9:44 am

"Spying little sisters... stalkers... guess still thinks he owns me..." She rolled her eyes and looked up at him as he gave her the glass of water. She looked at the glass for a few minutes and at first didn't drink. "Orders. Commands. Stuck in this cage..." she shook her head and couldn't stop another laugh. "Don't you see? He'll never stop punishing me." She grinned a moment, looking down into her glass almost solemnly as she did so. She drank some of the water but then set the glass aside. "It was supposed to be an interview for me achieving Jounin. Should have been at least somewhat happy, even if I'm being punished even for that. Partner to check my moves. Asshole."

Ume took a deep breath and shook her head, looking at Kotaru. "Its been years now, Kota. Yet he still has eyes on me. He still knows you came over, that you stayed the night, and he threw that at me." She shook her head as tears started down her cheeks and she looked down. "I told you I can't come between you two again... and I can't come near you without risking you two..."
The Tales of the Aes Sedai Fukusha Reina - Iwagakure No Sato - Jounin - #EF2B2D Atsushi Cho - Tea Country - D Rank Samurai - #A34402 Hanzo - Sunagakure No Sato - Genin - #35C4AF

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Saints and Sinners

Post by Kao » Mon Apr 27, 2020 6:51 pm

Ume was still almost completely incoherent, but from what Kotaru could decipher she was certainly talking about Tatsuo. His expression stiffened and he released a sharp exhale through gritted teeth. He had told her, clearly, that he would figure things out and that it would take time. 'Things' had included Tatsuo, and he had intended to be the one to talk to the man. But unfortunately there was nothing he could do about a jounin interview. Still, most of her rambling made little sense. Punishing her? A partner? Kotaru struggled to understand, but what she said next made his chest swell with anger.

"I don't give a fuck if he knows that I came over. And clearly he has more important things to worry about otherwise he'd have busted down my door and confronted me about it." Normally her tears would have gotten to him and he would have tried harder to console her, but he was more than frustrated. "I told you I would handle it. But you have one conversation with the guy and drown yourself in booze and cut, then start talking about 'coming between' us." He was about to continue his tirade, but with her being crying and drunk he figured he wouldn't get anywhere with this.

Instead he stood her up, led her to be bathroom, and told her to sit atop the toilet while he ran some warm bath water. "You're gonna sober up so you can actually think straight. Alright?"
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

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Saints and Sinners

Post by Willoria » Mon Apr 27, 2020 7:07 pm

Ume buried her head in her hands, not even replying as he lead her on to the bathroom but as he started to run the water she simply shook her head. "I thought you understood me better than that." she said quietly. For a long time now she just wanted to get away from her problems. Then she wanted to fix them and for a moment thought she could. Now she found herself simply wishing to be understood. She was finding that just as Tatsuo was focusing on calling her selfish, Kotaru was making it sound like she was complicating something simple. 'Maybe I'm not understanding.' she thought to herself, shaking her head and leaning forward with her head between her knees with a groan.

The more she tried to think about it, the more of a disconnect she felt. It was almost as if what was right in front of her couldn't be real at all, there was something beyond that was real but she couldn't quite reach it. She couldn't find it. The only thing she really knew was that she was trapped. Sniffling she stayed sitting the way she did as she shook her head again. "I can't keep destroying your life too..."

'It's all I'm doing again isn't it? Doesn't matter if I love him if all I do is hurt him too. They're brothers, I can't risk them hating one another... over me? Over a girl? How fucking stupid is that?' Her fingers dug deep into her hair, and that simple feeling of being trapped was slowly seeping back into her. It was as if she could do no right. She could only harm.

Like everything she ever touched turned to ash.
The Tales of the Aes Sedai Fukusha Reina - Iwagakure No Sato - Jounin - #EF2B2D Atsushi Cho - Tea Country - D Rank Samurai - #A34402 Hanzo - Sunagakure No Sato - Genin - #35C4AF

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Saints and Sinners

Post by Kao » Mon Apr 27, 2020 7:30 pm

"Clearly I don't," he responded curtly as he turned the faucet off. The room was thick with steam by then, and when he turned toward her there was a flush to his skin that complemented is growing irritation. "But you're not making any sense. You smell like your blood is half-booze right now so I'll chalk it up to that." With that he stood up and walked toward her, taking her hands so that she would loosen her grip on her hair. He could tell she was crumbling, but Kotaru was not at all well-versed in talking someone down from the edge. So he did what he could for her and tried to keep his anger in check.

But what she was saying was making that difficult for the infamously bad-tempered bannin. "I have no idea where this is coming from. I'm fine, Tats is fine. When you're able to use full sentences again you can tell me what the hell happened but for now you need to try to sober up and listen to me. My life is intact, I assure you. Take this off." Before she could protest he slipped her robe from around her shoulders and pushed the silky fabric down her arms. "Focus on the bath, Ume."
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

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Saints and Sinners

Post by Willoria » Mon Apr 27, 2020 7:42 pm

Ume couldn't focus on any one thing. She felt him pry loose her own grip on her hair and she lifted her head enough to look at him, it wasn't until he slipped her robe from her, leaving her almost bare that a voice echoed through her mind. "I'm gonna enjoy breaking you..." Somewhere in her mind the sound of a slap had echoed and for an instant it was as if she was gone. Her eyes had glazed over and she seemed to not even see Kotaru, instead she was staring past him. It was as if her body had fallen back into the memory, waiting for a drug to take effect that wasn't going to. Waiting for the drug to slip into the pleasure parts of her mind and, as an Akari, trigger a more violent impulse. But it didn't.

Eventually she blinked once. Then a second time. And slowly the glaze faded from her eyes as her breathing slowly picked up. It took her several minutes to start bringing her breathing down to normal again, but for those minutes she was rooted to the spot, almost as if she couldn't move at all. She eventually looked at Kotaru, as if she had only just heard him mention the bath and she nodded slowly.

Her eyes drifted to the robe off her shoulders and eventually her body seemed to catch up with her mind as she slowly removed it, as well as the rest of her clothing, and moved to the bath to slip into the water.
The Tales of the Aes Sedai Fukusha Reina - Iwagakure No Sato - Jounin - #EF2B2D Atsushi Cho - Tea Country - D Rank Samurai - #A34402 Hanzo - Sunagakure No Sato - Genin - #35C4AF

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Saints and Sinners

Post by Kao » Mon Apr 27, 2020 8:11 pm

He felt the girl tense slightly, strangely, when he started pulling off her robe. He searched her face for any sign of what caused the change but he was only met with a blank stare. He called her name with trepidation, and it took several long seconds for her to seemingly snap back to reality. For the second time that evening he thought that he hadn't seen her so out of it since Eastern Rock, but something about this time seemed so much worse.

When she fully undressed he said nothing. The Akari didn't even take the opportunity to appreciate her nakedness. Without another word he left the bathroom, leaving the door open halfway. Once he was out of sight - once she was out of sight - he covered his face with his hands and for the longest time, he just stood there. It baffled him how things had fallen apart so quickly mere days after he decided he was willing to give this a shot. And all this was happening before he could even talk to Tatsuo about it.

Refusing to dwell on it without more information he took a look around and his distress quickly morphed into disgust. Sake bottles were strewn nearly everywhere, and it reminded him exactly why he hated alcohol. It made honest feelings worse, uncontrollable, and complicated already delicate situations. He needed something to do. So Kotaru rummaged through the kitchen until he found a trash bag and then he began to clean up. The monotonous movements calmed him, if only slightly, and he finished in only a few minutes. Once the bottles were in the bin - he wasn't touching the blood - he lied down on the couch and waited for the kunoichi to emerge from the bath.
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

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Saints and Sinners

Post by Willoria » Mon Apr 27, 2020 10:14 pm

It was almost like she was back into that little village and on the drugs again. The situation was so familiar that Ume was beyond uncomfortable. In the bath she hugged her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, glancing at the door. Part of her wished Kota was watching her through a crack in the door again, it was one of the only parts of that day that brought a smile to her face. This time felt so much worse. This time, in this moment, she felt truly alone. She buried her head between her knees and just cried. It made her feel all the more ridiculous and childish but she simply couldn't hold it back as the tears rolled down her face. Some part of her wanted to sink under the water and breathe deep, but some part of her still held back, knowing the last thing she could ever do would be to let Kotaru find her like that.

A half an hour would pass, if it got to an hour Ume wasn't sure. Eventually she managed to climb out of the tub to dry off, retrieving her robe from the floor and pulling it on again, tying it off at her hip as she came out of the bathroom. When she looked and saw Kotaru on the couch, she paused, still not sure how to explain to him why she was so upset. 'Am I really trying to keep from hurting him? Or from hurting myself?'

She made her way over to the couch and sat down with him, her shoulder against the back of the couch so that she was facing Kotaru with one leg tucked up under her and her head against the back of the couch as well. "I'm sorry you saw me like that..." she said quietly. She wasn't sure what else she could possibly say.
The Tales of the Aes Sedai Fukusha Reina - Iwagakure No Sato - Jounin - #EF2B2D Atsushi Cho - Tea Country - D Rank Samurai - #A34402 Hanzo - Sunagakure No Sato - Genin - #35C4AF

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Saints and Sinners

Post by Kao » Mon Apr 27, 2020 11:34 pm

The sound of Ume's crying easily reached Kotaru's ears. The house was small, after all, and the bathroom wasn't terribly far from where he was sitting. The feeling that he should go back to the bathroom for her was fleeting, to say the least. He'd have been more concerned if there had been complete silence. As she bathed he laid still and mentally replayed her words, over and over until they felt as through they were scratching away at him. Only when he heard the water gurgling down the bathtub drain was he able to silence it, but the reprieve was brief.

When she sat down he didn't immediately speak. Kotaru had no idea how to respond to her apology without causing more tears, especially since it was only a fraction of the reason he was upset. His thoughts were a growing storm, and the bannin was struggling to keep the tempest of his mind in check. A deep breath wasn't enough to truly calm himself, but it created a break in which he could finally say, "Just...tell me what's going on."
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

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Willoria
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Saints and Sinners

Post by Willoria » Mon Apr 27, 2020 11:46 pm

Ume's eyes dropped down to her hands, still leaning against the side of the couch. He spoke and for a moment the words just rang in her ears. "I was summoned for an interview, for ranking up to Jounin." she said quietly. "I guess also to be punished for my last mission. They're forcing me to take a partner... a damn babysitter." Ume took a deep breath and let it out slow, still unable to look up at him. "It was Tatsuo behind the desk." she finally said. "I wasn't ready for that... he still makes me feel like a damn child..." she shook her head slowly at herself, momentarily burying her face in the couch cushion. 'Because I am a child...'

"He was that calm kind of pissed he gets, you know?" she asked, though not really expecting an answer as she turned her head again but still kept her eyes on her hands. "We somehow wound up fighting, not just over my mission and everything. But over everything that happened. I guess I stupidly thought he'd actually have made some headway on healing from it, its been more than a couple years now... instead its like it still hurts him the day off. He kept calling me selfish, said I just was trying to make myself feel better... as if I was isolating myself and avoiding both of you to make myself feel better?" She could feel the frustration building, that tension in her chest again. She lifted her head a bit to finally look at Kotaru and sighed.

"His sisters saw you here, he found out from them that you stayed the night and just... his insinuations about it..." she couldn't help a bit of a wry smile. "I guess turning you down was stupid. I didn't expect him to have eyes on where I live, seems clear he already thought we fucked so turning you down was pointless."
The Tales of the Aes Sedai Fukusha Reina - Iwagakure No Sato - Jounin - #EF2B2D Atsushi Cho - Tea Country - D Rank Samurai - #A34402 Hanzo - Sunagakure No Sato - Genin - #35C4AF

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Saints and Sinners

Post by Kao » Tue Apr 28, 2020 2:22 am

Kotaru lied there listening, repetitvely flicking his thumb and middle finger together as she spoke, igniting a tiny dancing flame that was extinguished with the next flick. He didn't interrupt her, figuring it was best to wait until she was done. The assigned partner didn't surprise him. After all, he was the one who submitted the finalized report about her mission and even he had been concerned about her actions. But he kept those thoughts to himself.

The things she said made sense. On the surface. Of course they would get into an argument; they had unresolved feelings of all sorts and hadn't properly spoken in years. But since the last time Ume and Tatsuo were together, and in the months and years since then, he saw first hand that Tatsuo had pulled himself together. For the most part, anyway. A certain blonde came to mind. The elder Akari brother certainly wasn't as cheerful and expressive as he had been as a teenager, but the man seemed to have recovered from everything that had happened. Kotaru's brows raised then quickly furrowed as he mentally lingered on that information.

She finished speaking and he didn't return her smile. "So you fought about your past and found out one of the girls saw us. Is that all?" he asked, simply to be sure he understood. "Cause...I feel like I'm missing something based on how he's been acting. For one, if it still hurts him that much, he'd have definitely said something to me by now. I'm rarely too far away from him at any given time, so what's stopping him?" He paused to run his fingers through his hair, his thoughts once again churning.

"Is that all he said?" Kotaru sat up, curling his legs beneath him and turning to look her in the eyes. Anger once more simmered within them. "Is that where you're getting this 'you can't come between us' shit from?" It made sense to him that something Tatsuo said would have shattered her hopes. Kotaru wasn't ready to leap to conclusions but he certainly took a small step in that direction.
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

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Willoria
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Saints and Sinners

Post by Willoria » Tue Apr 28, 2020 12:30 pm

Ume's eyes once again pulled away from Kotaru and looked down into her lap. His words 'is that all' briefly made her realize how utterly stupid she was being. The drinking, the cuts on her arms, it was all an overreaction and for a second she knew it and felt appropriate shame over the issue. As he continued she could feel the anger returning to him and she couldn't look at him. She feared she'd lose her nerve and start going off on him, picking a fight for the sake of picking a fight. "He said he planned to have a talk with you about it." she said quietly. "It felt like a threat, it felt like back when I fucked up all over again... like he was just going to start something with you and yet again it'd just be my fault." she said quietly, her mind going over the final moments in that office again. "When I stormed out he shouted something about telling you 'good luck' when it came to me." she shook her head as tears began to sting her eyes again.

"I think that was the first time I realized I can't fix this, Kota." she told him. "That pain I caused... I can't fix it. Isolating myself has done nothing to lessen it, staying away from both of you has changed nothing, and any time I'm anywhere near him its like I would be better off trying to kill him..." She swallowed hard as she remembered another part of the conversation. "I got so mad I even told him I wanted nothing to do with either of you... I don't actually want that. But I feel like every time I turn around I'm just hurting both of you... and I can't escape that. It's like I'm stuck in this cage. I love you but in feeling that way I'm just hurting you... any time I try to do what makes me happy, I just end up hurting someone..."
The Tales of the Aes Sedai Fukusha Reina - Iwagakure No Sato - Jounin - #EF2B2D Atsushi Cho - Tea Country - D Rank Samurai - #A34402 Hanzo - Sunagakure No Sato - Genin - #35C4AF

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Kao
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Saints and Sinners

Post by Kao » Tue Apr 28, 2020 7:12 pm

Without realizing it Kotaru shook his head slightly, wondering what the hell Tatsuo could have mean by 'good luck' with Ume. Was it a blessing or a sarcastic way to pass her onto him? There was no way to know for sure, not until he spoke with Tatsuo. Even then it would be a matter of he-said-she-said. "No one's asking you to fix anything on your own. No one's definitely asking you to try to kill Tats." That comment made Kotaru wonder if the girl truly had a death wish.

'Wait wait wait.' Kotaru blinked several times incredulously, his head shaking a bit as he was completely taken aback by her admission. He leaned back away from her and stared before asking, "You told him what? Ume you- I -" The bannin was at a complete loss for words and threw his hands up in front of him. One hand found his head and rubbed hard as he tried to pull forth the right words. He started to stand up but at the last second decided it was best if he stayed seated. "Listen to me. I'm not hurt. Knowing you told him that you want nothing to do with me is the only thing that hurts. It more than hurts, it pisses me off." If she tried to interrupt him at this point, he wouldn't hear it. His tone was steady and low in a herculean effort to stay calm for her sake.

"Can't say for sure about Tats, but the only person who seems is really hurt in all this still is you. You're hurting yourself not us - literally hurting yourself." He looked at her arms pointedly, at the cuts that she had inflicted upon herself.

He paused, giving his words the opportunity to sink in. "I'll talk to him tomorrow morning. This has been going on for too long."
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

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Willoria
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Saints and Sinners

Post by Willoria » Tue Apr 28, 2020 7:31 pm

Ume swallowed hard as he absorbed what she said, visibly, albeit briefly, flinching as he threw his hands up. But she didn't try to interrupt him. She could feel herself coming down, and her mind even slowly putting the pieces together. She had been so upset from her meeting with Tatsuo that she started drinking, and given the supply levels of her sake collection it wasn't hard to just keep drinking. At some point she had fallen into the emotional hole, falling apart, eventually leading to her carving her pain into her skin rather than just keeping it internal to herself. But her mind running all this through it wasn't why she didn't interrupt Kotaru. She didn't interrupt because she knew he had a right to be mad, and she let him say it.

But as he mentioned her hurting herself, she suddenly looked up at him in shock. "You..." she stammered a moment as she looked at him, the facts of what he said sinking in. "You know..." It was a shock to her. She had become so used to Tatsuo accusing her of being selfish in her actions, as if she hid from them and recoiled into herself in order to save herself, rather than her personal intent to punish herself for everything she had done, that she had simply expected Kotaru to see it the same way. As much as some of his words had hurt, these came with a surprising relief.

To finally be believed.

Surprising, given the amount of alcohol probably still lingering in her system, Ume threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She buried her face against him, and for the first time in a long time the girl cried tears of relief.

To finally be understood, to finally feel not quite so alone.
The Tales of the Aes Sedai Fukusha Reina - Iwagakure No Sato - Jounin - #EF2B2D Atsushi Cho - Tea Country - D Rank Samurai - #A34402 Hanzo - Sunagakure No Sato - Genin - #35C4AF

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Saints and Sinners

Post by Kao » Tue Apr 28, 2020 9:25 pm

He had honestly expected some sort of blowback when he admitted he was angry with what she said. The girl was going through the ringer, and although a lot of it seemed self-inflicted he figured any amount of anger would cause her to break further. But instead she surprised him by throwing her arms around him. Kotaru released a soft sigh, and after a moment he placed his hands around her hips. He let her cry for as long as she needed. It gave him time as well, time to allow the tempest in him to calm and dissipate. Eventually scooped her up and took her to her bed.

The bannin gave her a long look of consideration. Ume seemed to have sobered up, but in no way did she seem okay enough to be left alone. "I'll stay the night. You should get some rest."
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

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Willoria
Posts: 12128
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Saints and Sinners

Post by Willoria » Tue Apr 28, 2020 9:42 pm

It took some time before she stopped crying, and for a moment her grip tightened on him when he unexpectedly lifted her and carried her to her bedroom. She considered asking him to stay even before he offered, and for the first time in a long time she found herself not at all thinking of Tatsuo or if they had his permission or approval. Perhaps it was the drink, but she didn't think much of it. Sitting on her bed Ume slid carefully out of her robe and under her sheets and looked up at Kotaru. She reached out a hand for one of his and, if he allowed her to take it, a gentle tug was her invitation for him to join her.

"I was going to ask you to anyway." she said quietly, blushing a bit as she rest her head on a pillow and looked at him. In truth her mind wasn't anywhere a near a gutter, but as she looked at Kotaru and realized how badly their conversation could have gone, and knew he had to have been holding back his anger, she couldn't help a smile. 'Am I unreasonable for thinking I'm fed up with this? I'm tired of sacrificing anything... Kota even said I'm hurting myself, not them...' Ume swallowed hard, choosing for a moment to trust herself, something she wasn't sure she had ever done. "I think I'm done giving you up to spare him... its been long enough." she said quietly.
The Tales of the Aes Sedai Fukusha Reina - Iwagakure No Sato - Jounin - #EF2B2D Atsushi Cho - Tea Country - D Rank Samurai - #A34402 Hanzo - Sunagakure No Sato - Genin - #35C4AF

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Saints and Sinners

Post by Kao » Tue Apr 28, 2020 11:30 pm

Somehow he hadn't noticed until now, but beneath Ume's robe she wore...nothing. His brows shot straight up as if really seeing her for the first time that night. The expression quickly became that of a young man who was really, really considering his options. In truth, he wasn't entirely in the mood. His mind had been on her well-being for about two hours and now that she seemed better it was free to wander. In the brief time she was uncovered he had visually ravaged her, and when she reached for him, he hesitated.

Kotaru blinked a few times and her statement about how she was going to ask him to stay went unheard. He belatedly gave her a small, "Hm?" and took her hand, following her beneath the sheets. He kept his body very still, knowing that if he allowed his hands to wander then they would go farther than they should. "Good. You worry too much. I'll handle it. In the meantime," he lifted his chin so that it rested atop her head, "try to keep a level head."
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

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