[ it's a strange feeling, to feel both lost yet found—a tourist in her own home, so to speak. just as kisame doesn't know how to reconcile this with what he knows, so too, does shinobu find it difficult to settle her thoughts and emotions. people move around them seamlessly, and she wonders how easy it would be to get swept up in the crowd; would she find her way back? would she even want to?
it's almost too much. her throat feels too tight all of a sudden. ]
I don't see why there wouldn't be.
[ she reaches out then, slow enough for him to track the movement, and curls her arm gently around his. she is careful to only touch his arm warmers rather than his skin; they've already experienced the empathy bond before, but there's too much going on within herself at the moment, and she knows the same could be said for him. but she is here and so is he, and sometimes perhaps that is comfort enough in and of itself. ]
[ Physical contact is a tricky thing for Kisame. It feels natural during a fight; he shamelessly revels in the fierce joy brought on by his fists and feet connecting with his target. However, outside of combat, Kisame is rusty at best. He spent years as a wanted criminal, and his years before that were stained with the repeated killing of comrades. Offering his hand to Shinobu was an act both brave and foolish, driven by a desire that frightens him even now.
Yet despite his inherent wariness, he doesn't avoid Shinobu's touch, nor does he so much as stiffen. She is slow; careful; gentle. He has time to understand and accept what is happening. Then her arm winds around his, careful not to touch his skin, and he is struck yet again by how small she is compared to him. Her petite stature is deceptive, in a way: she appears fragile, though she is anything but. It's as intriguing as everything else about her.
The dull ache of an absent partner and inaccessible abilities lessens within him. That should be alarming. He's playing at something far more dangerous than a brutal, bloody fight. But rather than feeling concerned, he feels… ]
Yes, let's do that.
[ Said with a smile that betrays a touch more warmth than he realizes. And then off they go, arm-in-arm, like two perfectly ordinary people.
Kisame pulls up a map of the city as they walk, finding the nearest park and angling them in that direction. It's not a task that comes intuitively to him, particularly when he's so aware of Shinobu's warmth and touch. So when he dismisses the map, he admits, ]
I don't think I'll ever adjust to that… It's just not the same as holding a map in your hands, is it?
[ he doesn't pull away and that says a lot, most of which she decides is better to analyze later, when it is quiet and she is alone. kisame has always been bigger than herself, and while it has never really bothered her, at this moment it feels... nice. this gentle contact, the way he directs them to their destination; to anyone else, they probably look like any normal couple walking down the street. there's comfort in that anonymity, in the little steps they take to meet each other, and it settles some of that ache in her chest. ]
Not quite, no. [ her smile turns a little rueful. ] Though, I'm afraid it's been some time since I've had to look at one.
[ they've always had crows to guide them, and looking at maps while hunting demons in the dead of night wasn't very efficient. they've all travelled enough in their line of work to know their home like the back of their hands. ]
It's a little strange, isn't it? I knew this place would be different, but there was a part of me that believed I wouldn't need one anyway.
[ That Shinobu hasn't needed to look at a map in some time raises questions for Kisame. Had she stopped traveling to new places? Did she not travel much at all? The latter would be a curiosity in itself. Kisame hasn't had a place to call "home" since he left his village over six years ago, and even before then, he traveled so much that he was rarely within its borders. The idea of needing no map sits strangely with him, an idea both bizarre and, in the quiet corners of his mind, appealing. ]
That's a good way to put it. I wonder how it can be so familiar and so strange at the same time…?
[ It's more of a rhetorical question than anything, putting a voice to the thoughts swimming through his mind. He knows that Shinobu doesn't have any more answers than he does. There's a sense of camaraderie in that — though that in itself is a dangerous feeling. ]
My responsibilities unfortunately kept me at home, most of the time. If a mission was especially dire, they would send me. But for most of them, Kanao would go in my stead while I took care of our patients.
[ had she lived a different life, one that kanae had wanted for her, she likely would have travelled frequently, explored whatever the world had to offer her. her curiosity would not be stifled; she would not have been content to stay in one area with her desire to discover new things and places.
but that isn't the life she led. neither would it ever be a life she could have. ]
I don't think that was the case for you, was it? You don't strike me as a man who settled down, so to speak.
[ "Kanao" is a name filed neatly away in Kisame's mind without any conscious thought. It is a trained reaction, a result of gathering intelligence in enemy lands. Kanao is connected to Shinobu; they are likely some sort of fighter, though they could be a doctor instead (or as well). In any case, they are not as skilled as Shinobu herself. A student, perhaps, or an apprentice of some kind.
All of that from only two sentences. Kisame doesn't find it strange at all. Nor does he feel any need to ask for clarification and gain a clearer picture. He simply makes his mental notes as he listens.
He lets out a little laugh at her comment — a sound closer to wry amusement than genuine cheer. He couldn't have settled down in his world even if he tried. ]
No, I didn't settle down. It's been some years since I called anywhere "home," and I frequently traveled even back then. My missions rarely keep me in one place for long… [ He pauses for a moment, then adds, ] I suppose that's another unusual thing about life here.
[ he doesn’t ask and she doesn’t clarify. it would be more worrisome if shinobu wasn’t completely confident in kanao’s abilities as a combatant, having trained her herself. kanao is strong, and shinobu had taught her everything she knows—she’d left her legacy for her. perhaps it is cruel to leave such a weight on her shoulders, but the world they live in shows no mercy. they’ve all lost too much to believe otherwise.
shinobu can’t predict the future, but she knows undoubtedly that kanao will finish what she started. she will destroy doma and she will avenge their sister. she will take shinobu’s place as the new head of the butterfly estate and take care of the girls kanae had taken in years ago. there is nothing waiting for shinobu back home except death and a chance at vengeance, but it is enough. it is enough. ]
Something new for the both of us, then. [ there’s a quiet laugh as they make their way down the street, sidling closer to him in the more crowded areas. ] I suppose that’s one of the few good things this place has managed to provide.
[ being ripped to another dimension aside. anyway, she looks up when they get closer to the park and the little tea shop nearby. ]
That looks promising. I've neglected to ask you before, but do you have a preferred type of tea, Kisame-san?
[ Whether staying in one place is "good" or not is something Kisame has yet to decide. There is a part of him that longs for such a thing — to find a quiet place where he can attain inner peace. But that world has yet to be created. There is still so much left to do, so many obstacles to overcome. He would rather do so quickly so that he can rest, but he recognizes that such thinking is unrealistic; Itachi pointed out as much.
Then again, those obstacles don't exist in this place. Is there anything preventing him from resting? Could he truly do so in such a place as this? Could the lack of constant travel be a "good" thing?
He allows those thoughts to simmer in the back of his mind as they walk arm-in-arm through a city both familiar and unfamiliar. When Shinobu speaks, it takes a half-second before he answers — a minimal distraction, but a distraction nonetheless. ]
Ah, so it does. [ Look promising, that is. ] I'm rather fond of kobucha, myself. The land where I was born was an island nation, so it was readily available.
[ "The land where I was born," not "my homeland." It's a deliberate turn of phrase, a way of distancing himself from the village and country he left behind. ]
[ the wording is deliberate; she has come to realize that kisame never does anything without purpose, and naturally it would extend to his speech as well. it fits, given what she knows of him, though not for the first time she wonders what happened to him in the past. she had lost so much in her life, but she was fortunate enough to have had her sisters and the girls at the estate. she would not and could not abandon them.
the possibility that he didn't have anything like that saddens her. she's glad that they haven't triggered the empathy bond yet in this moment. ]
Gyokuro. [ her smile turns a little wry. ] You could say I have a bit of a sweet tooth.
[ she draws away from kisame when they reach the shop to step up to the front counter and greet the server. they're lucky enough to carry both of those types of tea and shinobu orders both for them before kisame can offer to pay. hopefully, he won't mind. ]
[ Kisame has just enough time to recognize "gyokuro" as yet another thing their worlds have in common; as he recalls, it's typically a rather expensive tea. Then Shinobu continues on, her smile wry and her words hitting like an anvil.
A sweet tooth. She has a bit of a sweet tooth.
She steps to the counter to order their drinks. Kisame stands a short distance behind her, his eyes never leaving her back. Some part of him recognizes how odd he must look, gazing at her as though nothing else exists in this world. Do people think he's lovestruck, or does he appear as shaken as he feels? Still, he can't bring himself to look away; he feels as though doing so might cause the revelation to slip between his fingers like so many grains of sand.
How did he fail to notice it before? Is it because she smiles so often? Is it because she is warm and tactile? Is it because she exudes concern for others and seeks to look after them? He doesn't know. Looking at her now, it seems as obvious as words on a page or blood on a blade. How did it take this long for him to recognize the similarities between Shinobu and Itachi…?
By the time Kisame regains his composure, Shinobu is already paying for their order. He looks away, catches sight of an older man giving him a knowing look, and promptly turns his head in the other direction. (Now he knows that he didn't appear shaken.) He spots an empty place near a window overlooking the park, and he makes his way over, wanting to at least secure a place for them to sit. Better to do something rather than allow himself to be overwhelmed by far too many emotions. ]
[ she's unaware of the revelations he’s going through at the moment, nor the look that the older gentleman gives to kisame. the girl behind the counter chats enthusiastically with her, recommending a few cakes that pair well with the tea. kisame doesn’t strike shinobu as someone interested in sweets, so she passes on them, opting to leave the girl a bigger tip instead to make up for it. when she turns around, she spots kisame at the window and makes her way over with their tea. ]
Thank you, [ she says, for securing a spot as she places his tea next to him. it’s a nice view, one that softens the smile on her face when she takes a sip of her own tea. the ache of homesickness is soothed a little by the newness of his company and she tries not to dwell on those emotions, shifting in her seat to look at the cup in his hands. ] How is it? Is it similar to what you’ve had back home?
[ she wonders if it’s selfish of her to allow herself this sort of indulgence, to let herself come to this city with him rather than working to find a way back home. but it had been so long since she’d been able to that she didn’t realize how much she’d wanted it, to put down the weight of duty and responsibility for a little while. perhaps this is what kanae had wanted for her, to live a normal life where she could have these kinds of meetings; to meet someone she would grow to care for and spend her life with.
she keeps her hands around her own cup, fingers tightening around the ceramic so she doesn’t reach for his instead. ]
[ Shinobu's thanks is returned with one in kind as Kisame expresses his appreciation for her generosity. Mentally, he notes that he'll have to move faster and pay next time. (It doesn't strike him as odd that he is already planning for a "next time." Then again, he's grappling with quite the revelation.) He sips his tea slowly, savoring the familiar flavor; it's a perfect match for what it knows, and it takes him back to countless teashops in his own world.
Shinobu would fit right into his world, he thinks, though he wouldn't wish such an ugly place upon her. Then he catches his own thoughts, incriminating in the wake of that knowing look, and pulls himself away from such musing. ]
Oh, yes, very similar, [ he says with a smile once he lowers his cup. ] I'm not a connoisseur, but I can't taste any difference at all. Strange, isn't it? I would have expected at least a slight variation.
[ His gaze drops to her cup, taking note of her grip on it. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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it's almost too much. her throat feels too tight all of a sudden. ]
I don't see why there wouldn't be.
[ she reaches out then, slow enough for him to track the movement, and curls her arm gently around his. she is careful to only touch his arm warmers rather than his skin; they've already experienced the empathy bond before, but there's too much going on within herself at the moment, and she knows the same could be said for him. but she is here and so is he, and sometimes perhaps that is comfort enough in and of itself. ]
Shall we go find it?
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Yet despite his inherent wariness, he doesn't avoid Shinobu's touch, nor does he so much as stiffen. She is slow; careful; gentle. He has time to understand and accept what is happening. Then her arm winds around his, careful not to touch his skin, and he is struck yet again by how small she is compared to him. Her petite stature is deceptive, in a way: she appears fragile, though she is anything but. It's as intriguing as everything else about her.
The dull ache of an absent partner and inaccessible abilities lessens within him. That should be alarming. He's playing at something far more dangerous than a brutal, bloody fight. But rather than feeling concerned, he feels… ]
Yes, let's do that.
[ Said with a smile that betrays a touch more warmth than he realizes. And then off they go, arm-in-arm, like two perfectly ordinary people.
Kisame pulls up a map of the city as they walk, finding the nearest park and angling them in that direction. It's not a task that comes intuitively to him, particularly when he's so aware of Shinobu's warmth and touch. So when he dismisses the map, he admits, ]
I don't think I'll ever adjust to that… It's just not the same as holding a map in your hands, is it?
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Not quite, no. [ her smile turns a little rueful. ] Though, I'm afraid it's been some time since I've had to look at one.
[ they've always had crows to guide them, and looking at maps while hunting demons in the dead of night wasn't very efficient. they've all travelled enough in their line of work to know their home like the back of their hands. ]
It's a little strange, isn't it? I knew this place would be different, but there was a part of me that believed I wouldn't need one anyway.
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That's a good way to put it. I wonder how it can be so familiar and so strange at the same time…?
[ It's more of a rhetorical question than anything, putting a voice to the thoughts swimming through his mind. He knows that Shinobu doesn't have any more answers than he does. There's a sense of camaraderie in that — though that in itself is a dangerous feeling. ]
Did you not travel much before this, Shinobu-san?
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[ had she lived a different life, one that kanae had wanted for her, she likely would have travelled frequently, explored whatever the world had to offer her. her curiosity would not be stifled; she would not have been content to stay in one area with her desire to discover new things and places.
but that isn't the life she led. neither would it ever be a life she could have. ]
I don't think that was the case for you, was it? You don't strike me as a man who settled down, so to speak.
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All of that from only two sentences. Kisame doesn't find it strange at all. Nor does he feel any need to ask for clarification and gain a clearer picture. He simply makes his mental notes as he listens.
He lets out a little laugh at her comment — a sound closer to wry amusement than genuine cheer. He couldn't have settled down in his world even if he tried. ]
No, I didn't settle down. It's been some years since I called anywhere "home," and I frequently traveled even back then. My missions rarely keep me in one place for long… [ He pauses for a moment, then adds, ] I suppose that's another unusual thing about life here.
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shinobu can’t predict the future, but she knows undoubtedly that kanao will finish what she started. she will destroy doma and she will avenge their sister. she will take shinobu’s place as the new head of the butterfly estate and take care of the girls kanae had taken in years ago. there is nothing waiting for shinobu back home except death and a chance at vengeance, but it is enough. it is enough. ]
Something new for the both of us, then. [ there’s a quiet laugh as they make their way down the street, sidling closer to him in the more crowded areas. ] I suppose that’s one of the few good things this place has managed to provide.
[ being ripped to another dimension aside. anyway, she looks up when they get closer to the park and the little tea shop nearby. ]
That looks promising. I've neglected to ask you before, but do you have a preferred type of tea, Kisame-san?
i'm so mad at her icons, she's so pretty
Then again, those obstacles don't exist in this place. Is there anything preventing him from resting? Could he truly do so in such a place as this? Could the lack of constant travel be a "good" thing?
He allows those thoughts to simmer in the back of his mind as they walk arm-in-arm through a city both familiar and unfamiliar. When Shinobu speaks, it takes a half-second before he answers — a minimal distraction, but a distraction nonetheless. ]
Ah, so it does. [ Look promising, that is. ] I'm rather fond of kobucha, myself. The land where I was born was an island nation, so it was readily available.
[ "The land where I was born," not "my homeland." It's a deliberate turn of phrase, a way of distancing himself from the village and country he left behind. ]
And you, Shinobu-san?
three weeks later..... whew
the possibility that he didn't have anything like that saddens her. she's glad that they haven't triggered the empathy bond yet in this moment. ]
Gyokuro. [ her smile turns a little wry. ] You could say I have a bit of a sweet tooth.
[ she draws away from kisame when they reach the shop to step up to the front counter and greet the server. they're lucky enough to carry both of those types of tea and shinobu orders both for them before kisame can offer to pay. hopefully, he won't mind. ]
we've got this
A sweet tooth. She has a bit of a sweet tooth.
She steps to the counter to order their drinks. Kisame stands a short distance behind her, his eyes never leaving her back. Some part of him recognizes how odd he must look, gazing at her as though nothing else exists in this world. Do people think he's lovestruck, or does he appear as shaken as he feels? Still, he can't bring himself to look away; he feels as though doing so might cause the revelation to slip between his fingers like so many grains of sand.
How did he fail to notice it before? Is it because she smiles so often? Is it because she is warm and tactile? Is it because she exudes concern for others and seeks to look after them? He doesn't know. Looking at her now, it seems as obvious as words on a page or blood on a blade. How did it take this long for him to recognize the similarities between Shinobu and Itachi…?
By the time Kisame regains his composure, Shinobu is already paying for their order. He looks away, catches sight of an older man giving him a knowing look, and promptly turns his head in the other direction. (Now he knows that he didn't appear shaken.) He spots an empty place near a window overlooking the park, and he makes his way over, wanting to at least secure a place for them to sit. Better to do something rather than allow himself to be overwhelmed by far too many emotions. ]
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Thank you, [ she says, for securing a spot as she places his tea next to him. it’s a nice view, one that softens the smile on her face when she takes a sip of her own tea. the ache of homesickness is soothed a little by the newness of his company and she tries not to dwell on those emotions, shifting in her seat to look at the cup in his hands. ] How is it? Is it similar to what you’ve had back home?
[ she wonders if it’s selfish of her to allow herself this sort of indulgence, to let herself come to this city with him rather than working to find a way back home. but it had been so long since she’d been able to that she didn’t realize how much she’d wanted it, to put down the weight of duty and responsibility for a little while. perhaps this is what kanae had wanted for her, to live a normal life where she could have these kinds of meetings; to meet someone she would grow to care for and spend her life with.
she keeps her hands around her own cup, fingers tightening around the ceramic so she doesn’t reach for his instead. ]
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Shinobu would fit right into his world, he thinks, though he wouldn't wish such an ugly place upon her. Then he catches his own thoughts, incriminating in the wake of that knowing look, and pulls himself away from such musing. ]
Oh, yes, very similar, [ he says with a smile once he lowers his cup. ] I'm not a connoisseur, but I can't taste any difference at all. Strange, isn't it? I would have expected at least a slight variation.
[ His gaze drops to her cup, taking note of her grip on it. ]
What about yours, Shinobu-san?