[Accidental Voice Post]
"--duuno what the hell was wrong with the last place.” [The Forge kicks in around the muffled mutter.] “I liked the last place.”
"The last place smelled like mold." [A second voice. A cool, crisp rejoinder but also faintly muffled. Seems like the Forge might be in someone’s pocket.] "Besides, what good is a lot of cupboards if there are holes in the floor?"
“It wasn’t that bad! It was a fixer-upper! We could’a put something over the hole and I want a place with lots of cupboards!”
[The first- Naruto - trails off at that. He sounds vaguely put out. ]
"Putting a rug over a hole doesn't stop it from being a hole." [The second - Sasuke - is unmoved by Naruto’s explanation.] “What do cupboards matter? Since when do you care about storage and organization?"
“And smashing your nose in won’t stop you from being a dick, but I’d like to try anyway.”
[That one is hard to hear. Very hard. Louder then, more insistent.] “Cupboards are good for-for storage! You never know!”
[There’s a deadpan stare to follow this, it can’t be seen of course but it’s practically audible.]
"We are not storing ramen in the cupboards."
[The words are delivered coldly, they cut straight to the point and the response to them is a fumbling stutter.]
“Hey I- That’s not wha- I never said that- They-“
[Spluttering. Much spluttering.]
“Why the hell NOT!? You don’t get to tell me what we can store in the friggin’ cupboards!”
[Brief outrage. But then-]
“And would you get your hand off your sword and stop bein’ so paranoid.” [Half a whisper.] “No wonder people’re lookin’ at you funny."
[Silence. Stoic silence. Persistent until Naruto adds:]
“You know… we’re not gonna find a pagoda in the forest around here.”
[That at least garners a reaction.]
"I know we're not." [A snapped out reaction.] "But that doesn't mean we have to live in the thick of everything and everyone. We are not. Understand?"
“Hey! Don’t you give me that look either! We’re not living in the middle of nowhere, we don’t know enough about this place to do that!”
"And you trust us living amongst these people? We would be safer out of their jurisdiction."
"I trust people. They haven’t hurt us; they haven’t even fucking tried and guess what? There isn’t anywhere else to live. We haven’t found a way outta the city yet!”
"You're naive.” [Quiet. And disdainful.] “You're going to trust people you don't know? People that wouldn't spit on you if you were on fire? That will get you killed."
[Silence. Silence for a little while.]
“It’s not naïve. It’s just history on repeat. People are people. While you’re here, you’re stuck with these people.”
[More silence. Past it comes the sound of indistinct conversation. Eventually though...]
“What the hell kind of place do you want anyway?”
"A practical place."
[A snort.]
"You mean somewhere you wanna live.”
"That's exactly what I mean." [Flatly.] "I'm worried about strategy and safety, and you care about where to put your imaginary food."
“Hey, princess,” [A growl.] "You need your shelf space just as much as I do! If you’re--”
[This is where the Forge gets jostled a little and so Naruto’s voice is cut off mid-rant.]
"The last place smelled like mold." [A second voice. A cool, crisp rejoinder but also faintly muffled. Seems like the Forge might be in someone’s pocket.] "Besides, what good is a lot of cupboards if there are holes in the floor?"
“It wasn’t that bad! It was a fixer-upper! We could’a put something over the hole and I want a place with lots of cupboards!”
[The first- Naruto - trails off at that. He sounds vaguely put out. ]
"Putting a rug over a hole doesn't stop it from being a hole." [The second - Sasuke - is unmoved by Naruto’s explanation.] “What do cupboards matter? Since when do you care about storage and organization?"
“And smashing your nose in won’t stop you from being a dick, but I’d like to try anyway.”
[That one is hard to hear. Very hard. Louder then, more insistent.] “Cupboards are good for-for storage! You never know!”
[There’s a deadpan stare to follow this, it can’t be seen of course but it’s practically audible.]
"We are not storing ramen in the cupboards."
[The words are delivered coldly, they cut straight to the point and the response to them is a fumbling stutter.]
“Hey I- That’s not wha- I never said that- They-“
[Spluttering. Much spluttering.]
“Why the hell NOT!? You don’t get to tell me what we can store in the friggin’ cupboards!”
[Brief outrage. But then-]
“And would you get your hand off your sword and stop bein’ so paranoid.” [Half a whisper.] “No wonder people’re lookin’ at you funny."
[Silence. Stoic silence. Persistent until Naruto adds:]
“You know… we’re not gonna find a pagoda in the forest around here.”
[That at least garners a reaction.]
"I know we're not." [A snapped out reaction.] "But that doesn't mean we have to live in the thick of everything and everyone. We are not. Understand?"
“Hey! Don’t you give me that look either! We’re not living in the middle of nowhere, we don’t know enough about this place to do that!”
"And you trust us living amongst these people? We would be safer out of their jurisdiction."
"I trust people. They haven’t hurt us; they haven’t even fucking tried and guess what? There isn’t anywhere else to live. We haven’t found a way outta the city yet!”
"You're naive.” [Quiet. And disdainful.] “You're going to trust people you don't know? People that wouldn't spit on you if you were on fire? That will get you killed."
[Silence. Silence for a little while.]
“It’s not naïve. It’s just history on repeat. People are people. While you’re here, you’re stuck with these people.”
[More silence. Past it comes the sound of indistinct conversation. Eventually though...]
“What the hell kind of place do you want anyway?”
"A practical place."
[A snort.]
"You mean somewhere you wanna live.”
"That's exactly what I mean." [Flatly.] "I'm worried about strategy and safety, and you care about where to put your imaginary food."
“Hey, princess,” [A growl.] "You need your shelf space just as much as I do! If you’re--”
[This is where the Forge gets jostled a little and so Naruto’s voice is cut off mid-rant.]