IC Inbox - Asgard Eventide

[samantha_grey]

An old, brick edifice stands in front of the burnt-down ruins of a home in the hillside. Mountains rear up in all directions, covered in lush, green vegetation. Nobody comes this way anymore, but you have the sense that anything placed in the mailbox attached to this old structure will be found by someone, the only living person for whom this place still has any meaning.

OOC: Feel free to comment here if your character wishes to get in touch with Samantha Grey directly. Let us keep any such material to PG-13 or less. If you're interested in something that should be matured tagged, contact me via PM and we can discuss it.

Comments

[samantha_grey]

Sure. I know the place. [She's been here almost a year and used to skulk around the town, mapping it for a guy named Niccolo. There's probably not many places she doesn't know.]

Give me a half hour. I'll see you there.

[kuramaless]

Yeah?

Okay.

[A nod, and he grins before switching off the connection. He's there earlier than she is, sat at the back of the ramen shop with a jug of water and two glasses.

He, may have been thinking this through far too much.]

[samantha_grey]

[She's a couple minutes, smoking outside and waiting for him to arrive, before she glances in and sees him. Wait, Naruto's early? Not just on time, but early? That sets a bit of nerves off. However, tamping out her cigarette, she makes her way in to the table he's at and settles in.]

He you. Since when do you get here before me?

[kuramaless]

[For once, off the battle field, Naruto is completely alert. It means he spots her the moment she walks in, and shifts in his seat a little at her arrival, sat upright, a smile on his face.]

Ah-- hey.

I er.

Was kinda outside already.

[samantha_grey]

[He's weirding her out so much right now. It isn't that she hasn't seen him smiling, but she's not sure if this is some big 'oh my god' announcement he's somehow holding in, or he's forcing a smile to make everything look natural.

She orders the pork just to get the server to go away and takes a sip of her water.]

Uhuh. You, my dear, are being really suspicious today. What did you want to talk about?

[kuramaless]

[His cheeks turn a light pink colour at her comment, but again he shakes his head, letting both his hands curl around his glass. This isn't easy, but then - none of this seems to be.]

I er-- just wanted to talk.

[Which is a lie. So...]

You bumped into Sakura yet?

[samantha_grey]

A couple times. The last was, I think, right before you told me we'd just be friends. [She chuckled and tried to control a faint lump she felt. It wasn't as if she'd really been hurt by that request, after all. She'd just chalked it up as normal. Having it brought back, though, felt weird.] Why?

[kuramaless]

[He's watching-- and unsure about what exactly he's watching for - but she's laughing. Even if it doesn't seem very much like when Sam usually laughs, and why would she be laughing about that anyway?

Talking about the whole thing was what he'd thought this was about, but now he's not so sure it's fair to ask Sam.]

I didn't really think she'd turn up, y'know?

[samantha_grey]

[Blink. Blink blink.

Oh sweet lord.

Was he... seriously?

Ok, she was actually laughing, face in a hand and bowed over the table. It was raspy and more of an ongoing snicker.]

Naruto... are you doing what I think you're doing?

[kuramaless]

[It takes all of a few seconds for his composure to crumble, in the few seconds that she starts laughing his mouth drops open, his cheeks explode in colour and bright blue eyes widen as much as it might seem possible without them popping out of his skull.]

W-W-Wait what!? What'm I doin'? I didn't say anythin'!? What'd I say?

[samantha_grey]

[She's managing to calm down and shaking her head.]

It's like a tv show. You look like you're either asking me permission if you can ask her out... or you're asking the girl you almost got together with for advice on what to say to her.

[kuramaless]

[Hearing what she has to say is no better than wondering what she was about to say, and his hands drop away from the glass, back falling to rest against the chair.

That's definitely a whine that escapes him.]

I thought we were friends! I-- Last time I talked to Sasuke he was dumb about it, an'-- I can't talk to Sakura-chan.

[samantha_grey]

[She snickered and reached over to ruffle at him, punching him in the shoulder in the process.]

We are, dumby. You just had me all worked up there for a second, like there was some big confession coming, and I was worried I'd done something shitty. So this is about her, right?

[kuramaless]

Ow.

[It doesn't hurt of course, but he has to comment, else it's physical contact and... well, that's weird. Or something. He reaches up a moment later to fix his hair, which is also ridiculous because the moment he moves his hand away, it does something random.]

I-- didn't mean t'make you think that.

Er. Yeah. Sakura. I mean, It's not... I just, I told her, about you, an' then I thought about it. Like, really thought about it, an'...

[He takes another deep breath, and looks away.]

I still wanna go on a date with her y'know, like from before. It's different. You know, not like when we were kids or whatever.

[samantha_grey]

Well, first thing's first. Does she know we didn't work out?

[She leaned her chin on the palm of her hand as she talked.]

I mean, it's not like I'm surprised you might be thinking of going after her, but it might be good if she didn't think you're trying to make her share. I'm fine with it...

her? I think she'd break your arm. And smile while she did it.

[kuramaless]

Er...

[Honestly, he doesn't know the answer to that question, and all it does it make him rest his braceleted hand on the table, staring at it as if it might hold the answers.]

Maybe?

[He's still blushing, mostly because 'going after' Sakura sounds... strange. He doesn't want it to be a big deal, but when they're together-- and now they're here it seems like they're spending so much more time together. He just enjoys it. A lot.]

Share...

[Noooo, that's not right either.]

I dunno... I mean, she likes Sasuke. She's always liked Sasuke, but then she told me she loved me or whatever, but I told her she was lyin', and-- then then the war, and Sasuke came back and now we're all together.

[samantha_grey]

Yeah, forget about the sharing thing. It'll give you bad ideas, and she won't say yes. She doesn't sound like the sharing type at all. And if you're saying maybe, the answer is no. No she doesn't. I'll try and let it slip over lunch with her in the next couple days. So she knows.

[Plop down goes the Ramen. She picks at it and cocks her head.]

But that's the easy part. I just don't want her thinking you're trying with her because we didn't work out... even if you were always sort of sweet on her. Why haven't you just asked her?

[kuramaless]

I ain't gonna share her. I wouldn't-- I wouldn't expect her to...

I'll talk to her.

[In fact, he has every intention of telling her as soon as he's done talking to Sam.

For now, he's staring at his ramen, and gingerly picking up the chopsticks he needs to eat them with.]

I thought about her a lot, after what we talked about. You know, bein' friends and... doing that stuff. I guess I thought it'd never happen. Same reason I ain't asked her. She used to punch me if I asked her out on a date.

[samantha_grey]

She might punch you again, you know... but that doesn't mean she's said no.

[Slurp. Chew. Keep in mind you're talking to a half-succubus here, a terrible succubus at that. Her understanding of relationships isn't exactly good or normal.

Swallow.]

Why don't you just start with the basics? If you're going to ask her, you should at least try to be romantic, Naruto. What does she like? Flowers maybe?

[kuramaless]

Eh... I guess? She punched me an' Sai for endin' up in hospital?

[He shrugs, and eats some of his own ramen, pausing at the thought of what she likes. Damnit, if only Ino was here. She'd know what kind of flowers Sakura liked.]

Guess I could... get some flowers? I think she likes sweets too?

[samantha_grey]

Don't go too far overboard with it... but maybe some flowers would be good. Her name is Sakura after all. Maybe check the park or a flower shop and see if they have some cherry blossoms or something like that?

I mean, the goal is that you want her to feel special.

[kuramaless]

[wtf does her name being Sakura have to do with flowers? Will Naruto ever figure it out? Find out on the next episode of--]

OH! 'Cause they're pink!

Hey...

Yeah.

Special. Right.

[Hm. She doesn't like ramen as much as he does... maybe they could go out for something to eat after he asks her.]

[samantha_grey]

... Sakura is a name for cherry blossoms in my world. I don't know if it is in your world too. [She snickered a little.]

If you try to take her to a ramen place [Yes, it is like she's reading your mind on this one.] I will punch you too. Try the theater, in Freyr.

[kuramaless]

.... Oh yeah. [He can't remember if he knows that because she's saying it now or because he knew that in the first place. Not that it matters.]

Er.

The theatre? Really? Ain't that boring though? You just sit and watch some people doing some stuff?

[samantha_grey]

...
...
...

[Slurp. Chew. Swallow. Line-face.]

Naruto? You're as bad as Eridan is at this, you know that?