[THREAD; interesting addtion]

[waitingfora]

Who: Yosuke Hanamura, Shikamaru Nara, and Itachi Uchiha [OPEN: Nill].
Where: Terra ; their apartment.
When: After this phone call.
Summary: The trio obtained a plank.
Rating: PG-13.
Other: So, a plank, a kuudere, a yandere, and a loli walk into a bar…

Comments

[waitingfora]

"Huh?" Yosuke halted in his cleaning to turn back to Shika; shaken out of his spacing from the comment that he wasn't going to be around for the whole night. He stared at him for a moment, before realizing what was going on. He had seen that Network post from Hidan -- and it was best if he just nodded rather than say anything else that he thought about it. Good that the brothers were going to be okay and that what happened during the Battle Royale hadn't done anything. He shook his head lightly as it sounded more like he was pouting than anything else. "All right. I'll let him know."

Hadn't he said that he was going to be more honest and say things that were on his mind? Truth, yes, he did say that, but it didn't mean that he had to rain on everyone's goddamn parade until he was the only one that was dry. Today was Shika's birthday and the least that he could do was make sure that he left the house without any negative or guilty feelings. Yosuke nodded to himself before smiling in a cheerful manner, hoping that it was true. "I'll hold the fort down here, don't you worry!" A wink for good measure.

It still sort of hurt to talk, feeling more like he wanted to scream about Kazama and just beg to know what happened. But everyone else was handling it so well and he didn't want to be the one that was being the baby about it. He gave a slight shrug as he went back to shoving dirty clothes into the hamper, hiding them from sight. Only perking back up when he heard the knock at the door. He wondered if it was Hidan coming early or if it was Itachi. Fretting for a moment, he decided that he would do his best to make things less awkward if it was the former. "Shika, could you get that? I have to jam these clothes down so that it doesn't look like we're total slobs!"

[lazyish]

Nothing was ever going to be okay about what went on between him and Hidan, but this was the way they were. The way they would have to be. Shikamaru knew Yosuke didn't like it but it wasn't going to change. If it hadn't been clear before, then it definitely became clear during Battle Royale. The more he thought about it, the harder it was to get the image of Yosuke's bullet-punctured corpse out of his mind.

He looked away, mumbling, "Yeah, thanks." He felt like he should say something more because Yosuke's last words were so... painfully forced. Shikamaru should have at least met them with a smile since they were only being said for his stupid sake, but he couldn't.

Luckily the knock interrupted that awkward moment. "Yeah, make it look like we're just half-slobs," he replied wryly as he made his way over to the door.

When he opened it to find Itachi standing there, even if he'd been expected, Shikamaru felt a rush of relief just at the sight of him. He hadn't thought he'd feel that way. They'd never been particularly close, even as teacher and student. But after what they'd all been through in June and the rest of summer... "Sensei," Shikamaru greeted with a somber smile. "Come in. It's good to have you back."

[pogromanate]

As faint as they were, Itachi could hear the words that pasted through the door. But there was no falter in his expression as he continued to lean against the wall in his own self-created void. His arms were across his chest, head lowered and he simply let out a low exhale. Perhaps, it would be best if he did leave. And he was about too as he pushed himself from the wall, but the click of the door opening caught his attention and provoked a slight headtilt.

Slaughter, cold-hearted killing and plain brutal butchery: it was something that Itachi was accustomed too, but when he had received a personal invitation that was met in full; he could only glance at Shikamaru with now-gray hues before closing them, giving the teenager a soft nod.

"I won’t take up your time." He murmured with a tone that seemed to be barely audible as he made his way in, but not before muttering lowly, "It’s a relief to see you are safe." And despite the words being weaved from pure apathy, they were still rich with sincerity.

But Itachi was not the only one that ventured into the apartment, as the soft black fur that followed entwined around Shikamaru’s leg and followed after Itachi (the cat had escaped the burning estate, following after Itachi and since then had been nothing but tagging along. ) "There is one favour I must ask, however." And he turned back to Shikamaru, a low blink as though inflicted with mild-strain, "I am unable to take care of Ninjin further." The indication obvious.

[silencedbird]

Much like Yosuke, Nill had been busily cleaning up the apartment ever since she had overheard the conversation that Itachi would be staying with them for awhile, running this way to sweep and that way to dust and then back over there to pick up the plate she had just dropped by accident; she hadn’t really given herself the time to think further on the fact that no one could find Kazama, not even Itachi, hadn’t given herself time to dwell on things that would no doubt just depress her in the end- maybe on a different day she would have, would have let herself be upset for a few minutes (hours) and then blocked it all off in the part of her mind she rarely ventured to, but today she didn’t have the time for even that because, well... not only was Itachi coming to stay with them (that simple fact required an enormous amount of cleaning because Itachi’s house had been huge and immaculate and the apartment was nothing compared to that, she knew, but she would do her best, and it helped that someone else was cleaning for once too) but it was also Shikamaru’s birthday, and Nill had always lived with the belief that birthdays were important and shouldn’t be neglected no matter who you were, so unhappy faces were absolutely not allowed that day.

She was so intent on her self-imposed tasks that she didn’t even notice the knock at the door until Shikamaru had already let the Uchiha inside. She didn’t know him very well, not really, but he was a kind person all the same and Nill smiled at him, even though she was certain he wasn’t looking in her general direction. Upon seeing something else enter the room along with him, though, the blonde-haired girl blinked once, and looked down at the black, moving fur that followed along behind Itachi, and after a moment of realization her eyes went wide with wonder. Itachi had a kitty! (she had to resist the urge to go over and pet it.)

[waitingfora]

Given that there wasn't any loud exclamatives or anything else of that nature, it seemed like it wasn't Hidan at the door. Ah, glad it's Uchiha-sama. Shoving the last bit of clothes down in the hamper, Yosuke wondered if it was all right to still call him that -- not so much about all the business with his eyes, but he wondered if he was still the head of anything. Because, it seemed to him like if he was, he would have gone back to that group. But it also seemed really rude to ask. There was a lot of stuff that he didn't know, but he wans't sure if he should know that sort of information. Just because he was curious didn't mean that he had to know, right?

He was actually starting to get a little pissed off at himself for having all of these thoughts in the first place, like they were actually going to be somewhat helpful to sorting anything out. They only ended up creating more and more questions that he couldn't answer or ask about. It really seemed like this was one of those things that he had to just give up on. Like trying to find out where Shiro disappeared to; that one always bugged him, but no one seemed to know what happened. Calling on the Network seemed like it would be a waste at this point. So it was like Kazama disappeared in the same manner. Would they ever find out what happened to any of these people?

It took him awhile to realize that he had just been standing around like some statue. That really wasn't like him at all; and he chided himself for it. A bright smile came on as he hurried out to greet their new roommate. Yosuke caught the tail-end of what was said, pausing to look down at their other guest. "Ninjin, how do?" Maybe that was a little louder than what he meant but he thought it better to focus on the cat than ask why it was that Itachi couldn't look after him anymore. Wouldn't be right to just start bombarding him with questions; should at least wait until he was comfortable and ready to talk to them. Whenever that was. All right, his bitterness was not helping.

"Don't worry, we'll look after 'im and you, too, of course." Another smile.

[lazyish]

It was strange to look at Itachi and see dark eyes instead of scarlet. Itachi rarely deactivated his Sharingan even in public. That must have meant something was wrong with them. Hadn't they rejected him during his auction for being "damaged"? Was this what they were referring to? He opened his mouth, wanting to ask what had happened during that fatal battle on Itachi's birthday.

But it wasn't right to bombard him with questions straight away, and the cat slithering around his legs drew his attention down. "Uh, yeah, don't worry about it," he answered instead. "You're both welcome here as long as you need."

Shikamaru glanced over to Yosuke for confirmation and caught sight of Nill. A smile spread over his face when he saw her expression. "Nill, I think there's some leftover tuna in the fridge. Why don't you feed Ninjin?"

He returned his attention to Itachi, shrugging with a indecisive beckon toward the couch. "Have a seat. You're probably tired after everything, right? Do you want me to get you a drink, or do you prefer I shut up and sit down?"

[pogromanate]

‘Damaged’ was a bit of an understatement. His body was torn to ruins but in all truth the reason as too why he had been declared a auction that would be put to a end quickly was simply because Itachi was a well-known criminal throughout the city -- and one that was the leader of one of the most dangerous mobs in that sector. No, it had nothing to do with his body being damaged. But because he was simply exiled through-and-through. Activating his sharingan in public would have been idiotic considering the nature of the Uchiha and their bare-existence. Obvious to those that he was back, and therefore must be killed once again.

That was one reason as too why he refused to accept the invitation to stay with the teenagers, if they had been found out they were basically hiding (so to speak) a criminal, then there would be no problem with their own execution.

There was silence that fell after Shikamaru spoke, and it would have been a lie to say it wasn’t uncomfortable in a sense. But still, as Itachi passed both teenagers and Nill to settle on the couch he gave them a nod. His figure was languid as he sat down, his thumb and forefinger proceed to rub at the corners of his eyes as he leaned his head back.

"I won’t be staying long." He repeated with exhaustion, "And there is no need to fuss yourselves with my company." He paused and let a low exhale. He knew they had questions to ask so leaned against the couch and brought his attention to the both of them, "I would also advise both of you to say what you need too."

[silencedbird]

Looking over at Shikamaru after his suggestion, Nill nodded and grinned slightly in return to the smile before wandering away from the room everyone else was in and into the small kitchen they had. She rummaged around in the fridge for a moment, pushing things aside and pulling things out and then stuffing them back in again until she finally managed to find the tuna Shika had mentioned. Smiling triumphantly, she pulled it out of the refrigerator and moved to search the cabinets because... well, the kitty was Itachi’s and Itachi was someone that was used to “the finer things”, as she had once heard someone say, and if Ninjin had lived with him then surely it deserved better than to eat out of a plastic container, didn’t it? Nill thought so, at least, so she found a somewhat nice looking bowl and put the tuna in, taking a moment just to make sure it looked alright; then, satisfied with herself, she wandered back into the living room, eyes wide again because she had never fed a kitty before.

She walked back in just in time to hear the Uchiha say that he wouldn’t be staying long, that they shouldn’t fuss over him-Why not? she thought, but didn’t let the thought show; not that it was difficult to hide that sort of thing-and then watched as he turned his attention to her two senpai, and she couldn’t stop her expression from falling slightly. More conversations she couldn’t join, more things that people were keeping from her, more things they didn’t want her to know. (at least, it seemed that way.) Not wanting to intrude, though, she offered an impish smile and looked for a moment before spotting Ninjin and walking over to the feline, giving the feline another smile as she set the food on the ground for it.

It wasn’t like she was stupid or anything. Itachi seemed different now, and Shika was hiding things, and Yosuke was… well, he was Yosuke. It always felt like Yosuke didn’t say things he wanted to.

Nill felt very much like an outsider in her family, sometimes.

[waitingfora]

"You won't? But..." Yosuke was more than a little surprised that Itachi did not plan to stay with them. It seemed like the thing that Kazama would want them to do; to look after his old friend since it seemed like the guy was more or less on his last leg right now. He realized that he had trailed off and knew that it wasn't appreciated so hurried to finish his sentence. "I just don't think that you should leave so soon after arriving." His head gave a slight cant to show that he was having troubles putting what he wanted to say into words; eyebrows knit together as he wanted to say the right thing but not sure what that thing was. He didn't want Itachi to go, but forcing him to stay seemed like a jerk move. Or was it? Ah! Things are getting really complicated.

"That also sounds really final, Uchiha-sama." His hands were set behind his back, tugging at each individual finger like that would give him the strength and enough physical discomfort to get over the emotional discomfort that he was feeling. It was awkward to have to say all of this in front of Nill and Shika. Even if the latter might agree with him, but it sounded more like he was whining than anything else. "I mean, the way you say that ... it almost sounds like you're going to go away forever." He didn't want to lose more people; regardless if he didn't always get along with them or was a pest or whatever. All the people in his life meant quite a bit to him. Though, saying it like that ... it sounds like they don't.

He kept the ironic smile that threatened to show off his face. Maybe, maybe, that wasn't what Itachi meant, but he just hated the idea that he might be left behind, again. Kazama had gone somewhere and hadn't told anyone where. It was just like back in the first Battle Royale. Yosuke visably flinched. Is that why ... you left? He let out a sigh, shrugging his shoulders. There was a lot that he wanted to just suddenly scream out at Itachi. The reason why he held back, because he was afraid of what it would sound like if it actually came out. He toed the floor for a bit, before deciding to walk over to where Nill was instead. "Sorry. I'll just help Nill right now. Shika, there was something you wanted to say, too, right?" Not like he could give much privacy in their apartment, but at least give them some room. All the while, he muttered.

[lazyish]

Shikamaru nodded in agreement with Yosuke. "He's right, it is too soon." He folded his arms and started pacing, staring moodily down at the floor. There was a lot that needed to be discussed, and not in a hurry. The entire summer was full of events they hadn't properly reacted to, and if previous experience taught him anything, he knew that peace wouldn't last very long.

"I don't mean to tell you what to do, sensei," Shikamaru started, "but I don't think you're in any kind of shape to be taking all this responsibility onto yourself alone. Sometimes you have to accept help from your comrades. And even though Yosuke and I aren't as strong as you, we're not completely useless. We can help you, if you let us. Not just by giving you a place to stay, but with any of these problems you've had. People trying to kill you, and Kazama's disappearance..."

He glanced over to Nill and Yosuke. He didn't want Nill to know what Yosuke had done during the game, didn't want to ruin their little family by taking away her feelings of safety and trust. He had to be careful with his words. "We don't know if Kazama's disappearance was caused by someone else or if it's his own choice," he went on. "But until we can be sure, sensei, I think we have to stick together, face these threats together. I didn't chase you before because I didn't think you'd want me to, but if you vanish now, I won't be able to stop searching."

He bowed his head. "Sensei, I still need you, so please don't be reckless."

[pogromanate]

Itachi had forgotten how long it had been since he was granted with comrades -- such people were extendable, easily tossed away and slaughtered for their own selfish desires to assist others. It made Itachi let out a low exhale in wariness, closing his eyes as though he had just felt a pain that struck him at the bones and reverted into a dull throbbing pain that beat against the center of his chest.

And so the more he thought about being as much to the three that were in the apartment, the more the thread in the back of his mind told him to simply vanish and disappear. He ran a hand through his hair, light frustration graced his features just the slightest in such a gesture before lowering his head so that the long strands of black obscured his tired visage and dragged in a low breath. Even the effort to nail himself to the spot added on to the overwhelming fatigue that his nightly and daily searches for his kouhai contributed too.

His death, his exile, his futile attempts to save those he would deem important to him were all nothing but all failures. And when Shikamaru had said those words, Itachi rose his head, and there was something terribly dark about the breath that emerged from the bottom of his throat, it was almost akin to that of a mock-laugh. Because deep down in his mind, he thought of Shikamaru following him, and Itachi in return would have no hesitation to kill him for that sort of idiocy.

But there was nothing but silent acceptance, for the moment. His eyes opened slowly and he glanced at Yosuke and Nill before Shikamaru, "Nara, we belong in completely different worlds. It would be in your best interests to be concerned with yourself as well as Nill and Hanamura, I will not risk having you taking a burden on my account." He paused, entwined his fingers together and placing his forehead on their joined joints, "...As selfish as it might be."

[silencedbird]

Nill was contemplating making an attempt at petting Ninjin when Yosuke came over to join her, and honestly, it was a bit confusing. Wasn’t he part of what was going on, just as much as Shika was? (as much as she wasn’t?) Shouldn’t he be next to Shikamaru, trying to talk things out with Itachi aswell? It seemed strange, but she did her best-as usual-to not let onto those thoughts. Best to hide such things; one of the few perks of not being able to speak, she had found. You could never say the wrong thing.

She lifted her head then and looked towards Shikamaru as he spoke, lightly biting down on her lip as she listened to what he had to say- even though she should have been pretending not to notice. It was hard not paying attention, and Nill had never much cared if knowing things would get her in trouble. It wasn’t like she had to worry about “being forced to talk”. But why would people be trying to kill Itachi? Because he was important? ...it didn’t matter. This apartment seemed to be a sort of safe haven for people when they didn’t have somewhere else to go; Nill who had been left behind, Shikamaru whose father was gone, and Yosuke who didn’t go back to his house anymore. At least, she thought those were their reasons, but it was enough; they were all here for a reason, and if Itachi was in trouble, if he had nowhere else, then he belonged there.

Her expression fell slightly though as Itachi spoke up, a strange sort of protest t o their offer, but one she felt she understood; just like how Abyss and Elysium were so vastly different, but if you looked, squinted your eyes and searched, you could see the claws of Abyss digging into the sides of every level of the city. Itachi and Kazama, Mello and maybe even Matt- they were so far in the darkness that maybe they just didn’t care anymore, and Nill and Yosuke and Shikamaru were up in Terra. But...

…but Terra was still connected to Abyss, wasn’t it?

Pulling a pen from one of her pockets, the blond-haired girl began to write on the back of her palm, letters slanting awkwardly as she attempted to articulate everything in a few sentences, because her hand really wasn’t a sheet of paper. Eventually, though, she reached out and tugged at Yosuke’s sleeve before holding her hand out for him to see; the words were written quickly, left uncapitalized and without punctuation in most places, but she hoped the message got through. She gestured towards Itachi and gave Yosuke a meaningful look, hoping he’d know to convey the sentiment to him.

"we can’t be in different worlds. we know Kazama. we know you. Kazama is important to us + youre important to Kazama so youre important to us too. we’re already in the same place. its ok. we belong here. let us help."

[waitingfora]

It was strange. Yosuke knew that he normally would have been in Itachi's face; throwing his arm around in an elaborate manner while saying everything that came to mind. Regardless of how stupid or insensitive it was. His shoulders were hunched a little, still felt like he was just about to explode with all the words that he was keeping to himself. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, reminding himself that Itachi was Kazama's friend and was the person that his senpai confided in the most. As much as that hurt to admit. There were plenty of times after Yosuke found Kazama that he hoped that he would become the person that would be able to bear a few of those burdens. But he wasn't. And that was why he didn't want to drive Itachi away with anything that he might say. Might scream.

He listened to what it was that Shika was saying as he knelt down next to Ninjin. Flinching slightly as he heard what wasn't said. Yosuke looked up toward his friend, being just a little more attentive. Not that he thought that he would be ratted out, but he felt that he couldn't afford to ignore - purposely or otherwise - what it was he had to say. He opened his mouth to agree with Shika, that he wouldn't give up looking for him either. There was no way that he was going to allow him to disappear on them. The last memory that he had of Kazama was of him trying to kill him. And the words stuck in his throat. Yosuke wondered if that was why Itachi did not want to stay with them, because of what he had seen him do.

His eyes scanned the floor, not quite seeing it as he was seeing the options that he had. If he should ask Itachi about what he saw during the Battle Royale or if he shouldn't. People part of the game had been seemingly accepting about what had happened; had not been pissed about the events. Well, not everyone. There didn't even seem to be outright resentment for those that had been killed toward their murderers. What did that even mean? Did he think that everyone watching would think that it was fine? Would forgive people who killed their loved ones and friends? He really hadn't thought about that, at all. And to ask, to bring it out into the open, that would allow Nill to also know about what happened during the game. To have her think differently about the people surrounding her as well.

"Huh?" Yosuke was shaken out of his thoughts by Nill. He stared at her for a time, not quite comprehending until he saw the words written on her hand. Gently taking her hand, he carefully read the words that were scribbled out on it. When he finished, he had a bemused expression. Which broke quickly. At first, he laughed. It wasn't one that was mocking or finding what she had written particularly amusing - more cathartic than anything else. He smiled brightly at her, as always happy that she was with them. "Uchiha-sama. Nill has something that she would like to say." With just a brief pause to clear his throat, he read aloud what it was she wanted him to know.

"Couldn't have said it better myself."

LMFOAJKDS FUCK YOUR LONG TAGS take this bitches

[pogromanate]

The words that were read off Nill’s hand equaled that of a child’s narrow-minded ideal with reality was much more fabricated than one could imagine. Itachi continued to lean back into the couch, unspoken in silent forced agreement and he swiveled his cold gray eyes to each of the members that were before him before closing his eyes, "It cannot be helped if you three are so persistent." A low exhale was to follow, "But I cannot guarantee my stay will last as long as you three wish."

[lazyish]

Shikamaru's shoulders sank a little in relief. He looked over to Nill and Yosuke again, giving them a grateful smile. He wasn't very good at articulating emotions like they were so he was lucky to have them there, explaining what he felt. Really, what they all felt. It wasn't a time for any of them to be on their own, even for Shikamaru, who often felt like pulling away too. He understood Itachi completely. He just couldn't agree.

"Now that that's settled," he sighed, stretching his arms over his head. He turned away from Itachi, shuffling toward the kitchen. "You all relax. I'm gonna make some iced tea because it's my birthday and I said so." There wasn't much more he could discuss with Nill around, or even Yosuke. He had to be able to speak freely about what had happened without hurting them. So Shikamaru vanished into the kitchen, leaving the others to talk.

[silencedbird]

It took minute or so for those words to actually sink in, but once they did, Nill practically beamed up at Itachi, her expression bright and happy. Had what she ‘said’ really gotten through to him, then? She hoped so; it would’ve been nice if she had actually done something useful for once instead of just trying to clean when she could, and even that ended mostly in broken plates or burned cookies.

She nodded a little bit at what Shika said before waving at him slightly as he wandered into the kitchen. Her entire demeanor was considerably brighter now than it had been. She took a moment to look back at Itachi again, carefully mouthing the words “thank you” before turning once more to the cat on the ground and holding out one of her hands near it; she had heard cats didn’t like strangers to start petting them immediately when they didn’t know them, so she thought this might be the best way to go about doing things.

Secretly, though, Nill was very glad to have a connection to Kazama in the house now.