16autumnroad | Notes and Encounters

Entry tags:

!ic contact

Notes and Encounters

Appointment Post
Call, leave a message, slide a note under the door, or stop by to find Chouji.

Please use the subject line to mention method of contact and the date of the interaction.
(i.e. "Voice, 3/9")

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[A similar frown, and a sigh] She asks a lot of questions. I had trouble answering honestly without giving everything away.

[He snorts.]

No kidding. Troublesome girl...

She wouldn't be Ino if she weren't.

[A pause, then very quietly] She asked me about her dad. I told her what he was doing, where he was stationed. Then I stopped.

I told her I wasn't going to answer her questions.

[Blunt, but there was no way to do it without lying.]

The best thing you could do under the circumstances. [Shikamaru is aware of that, Chouji knows, but he'll affirm the choice anyway.]

[He hums, gaze directed at the ceiling and trailing off in thought.]

[He recognizes the sound for what it is, and he'll be quiet to let Shikamaru think for a minute. Chouji still doesn't know whether he can tell Ino. More importantly, he doesn't know whether he should. He'll manage somehow if he needs to, like he promised Sakura, but he's thankful he isn't making that decision alone.]

...I'm not decided on what to do, regarding her. [These are the words after a while.] If she's told by anyone, it should be us, but not until after some more though.

I know. I told Sakura when I arrived that I'd do it if either of you needed to be told. [He's well aware Shikamaru won't let him tell her alone now.]

So long as we're agreed on that.

Of course!

[a pause, and very softly] Would you have wanted me to tell you? I didn't think you would.

[He doesn't respond to that with words so much, just thinks on it quietly for a long moment. Then shakes his head.]

[That's about what he expected, and the denial comes as no surprise. He nods, letting the silence draw out a little longer before he speaks again.]

Ino always wants to be told things.

But she doesn't always need to know them.

[All he can do is reiterate what he said before.]

I'll think on it some more.

Yeah. [Chouji won't mention it again, and it almost hurts how glad he is to leave the choice entirely in Shikamaru's hands now. He'd never leave telling Ino, comforting her, to Shikamaru alone, but the decision? He relinquishes it completely.

Shikamaru may be the team strategist, but tonight is one of the nights Chouji realizes again just how heavy a burden that is. He forgets, every once in awhile. Never for long; circumstances are always too quick to remind him.]

And... the rest of it? [There aren't any right words. He knows there aren't. All the 'how are you's and 'I'm sorry's pile up unsaid because they're as obvious as the answers to them, and none of them change anything. Shikamaru's father was the one who knew what to say, and Shikaku-san is the one being mourned this time. Not only him, even, but everything else on top of it. Over half of the army... and Shikamaru would feel more responsibility for that than Chouji does.]

[There's no disguising the way Shikamaru's spine goes rigid, with them sitting back like this. There's nothing else to give him away other than that. Nothing but a void of tells and emotions in the quiet.

...]

I'm taking a pillow for the night, if you don't mind it.

Of course I don't mind. I already offered.

[Of course Shikamaru isn't ready to deal with the loss right away. How could he be?

Chouji leans away to get the pillow, turning around and lowering it in front of Shikamaru for him to take. But his other hand takes his teammate by the shoulder, squeezing lightly. It isn't much in the way of comfort, but a silent, "I'm here, you're not alone," is what he has to give.]

Thanks. [Mutely, as he reaches up for the pillow without looking.

He sits there like that longer than he has to. "I know I'm not. I'm glad you're here. Really." Sixty seconds of a comfortable silence, as empty of thought as he can afford it, before he shifts away and up off the bed.]

I'm gonna turn in now. Night.

Anytime.

[Chouji is relieved that Shikamaru doesn't pull away immediately, and he stays there, unmoving, for as long as need be.]

Good night, Shikamaru. Sleep well.

[Maybe they'll both be exhausted enough after the draft to manage that tonight. Chouji can hope, anyway.]

[He nods to that, leaving without another look or a word. Leaving while hoping for a very similar thing.

Chouji's pillow gripped tightly in hand, he spends the night wide awake, lying on a bare mattress in full uniform instead.]

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