Open Some Down Time

[Haku Yuki]

The woman sighed, if there was one thing that she would change about her home was the summers. They were far too warm for her liking and, much like tonight, the humidity was near unbearable. She lazily fanned herself with her hand as she walked through the streets of the Red District. While not entirely sure what has brought her here she was happy for the change of scenery regardless. It had been too long since she left the walls of the Uchiha Clan house complex and the fussing of the staff was driving her to near madness so she planned her escape. Evading that old bastard was easy enough. The guards, however, they were a different matter. She was never sure why Takeshi insisted upon keeping them around. It wasn't as if they were some helpless soft nobles. He was the Hokage and she was more than capable of fending off any threat that might come their way. Still, she knew their hearts were in the right place.

So here she was, wondering how it was still so warm at this time. She considered turning around and returning to the mansion when her nose caught a scent that she couldn't forget. Ichiraku Ramen. The smell brought her back to her days in the Academy when things were a hell of a lot more simpler. Yuki allowed her feet to follow the smell, she didn't need to be anywhere. Takeshi was doubtless going to be staying late and it did mean that she didn't have to suffer the mundanity of a meal at home. She pushed her way through the fabric drapes to find the place blissfully empty.

"Lady Yuki, it is an honour!" The owner was an old round-faced man. There was something about him that made you feel at ease.

"Oh please, less of that." She waved her hand at him with a smile.

"Still it is an honour nonetheless! The wife of the Hokage in my humble establishment, please take a seat!" He waved her further into the space offering her one of the many tables, but instead, she chose to sit at the bar. "The usual?"

"Yes, please, along with some chilled plum wine."

"Of course." He hurried into the kitchen leaving Yuki alone. She looked around the room taking in all of the details amazed at how little this place had changed.

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[Uzu]

Otami was born in the Wind Country. She was a native of the dunes, literally having lived in a wolf pack that traveled all across the hellish landscape. Human Society, indoors, air conditioning were all mysteries to the girl but she handled them all one-by-one with unexpected class. Everything...except one thing. Humidity. There was something to be said about the difference between a ‘wet’ heat and a ‘dry’ heat, and it was that feeling like turning into human jerky was far more enjoyable than being boiled alive. The desert princess hated Konoha’s humidity and was the only thing she ever complained about. Even the freshly scabbed over and bruised knuckles on her fingers were a thing she could except. Technically she was here to be trained by Konoha as a favor to Suna in the vain attempt of keeping her father away, so, even her pained hands could be forgiven. But this awful moist hell? Could return back from whence it came in Otami’s opinion.

She was already on a bar stool, slowly nursing a mineral water and enjoying the oscillating standing fan at her end of the shop. She was dressed in little as possible, a bikini top and short-shorts but without the street kimono; it stayed hanged on a peg in her bathroom today. The fan gently caressed her back in ways that would make the teenager sigh happily almost every time it came back around. It was as if she had never seen a fan before and the concept just broke her mind every time a man-made cool breeze would temper the girl’s distaste for the village heat. The sight of First Lady Yuki walking in looking peckish and also sick of the heat didn’t phase the Genin until the moment she heard the shop owner declare who the polite lady was; Otami felt her back tense up.

Did she know? Otami was often told that she had yet to fully receive a proper punishment for failing her last mission so spectacularly, (the job provider survived!), and that the remedial training was just mandatory. The blond was straight up unsure if her martial arts instructor was just messing with her, which was incredibly easy to do, or if there really was some lurking yet-to-be-seen punishment she’d have to endure on top of all this annoying punching people thing. The first thought was to scoot away, maybe open the gap between the two a little more. Finish the water. Get out.
“No…no…bring attention, no want,” she muttered to herself, lost in thought as Yuki took a seat at the bar. The ‘sudden’ appearance caused Otami to squeak, turn ‘I’m too honest for my own good’ red, and stare anywhere else. The wood that the bar was made of became the princess’ hyper focus as she sped up the rate in which she sipped the water. The poor girl torn by it because she really wanted to enjoy the water slowly before retreating back to her hot-ass apartment.

Maybe Yuki would just think Otami was just yet another person. She couldn’t know everyone in the village. Right?

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[Uchiha Asuka]

Within a moments notice Asuka appeared sitting in between Otami and Yuki. As if the fates themselves declared she needed to be at that precise moment. She wore her usual bright red Kimono with a blue ribbon around her waist made out of soft cotton. Her bright blue eyes shined on the light as she gave a big stretch. "Time for some dinner!" Clapping her hands together she looked over the counter with a bright smile on her face. "Old man! A bowl of Ramen over here!... OH, Actually! Make it two with extra pork! And and a big glass of Sake!" Looking over to her left she saw a child. Tilting her head a bit Asuka studied the child a bit closely. Huh, someone she didn't know. Well, she had been gone a while so it was to be expected. Giving a slight smile she spoke. "You have to try the Ramen here. It is to die for. Like, an exquisite addition before bed time. I swear it is thanks to this Ramen that I can control my dreams!" She declared with a fist in the air. "Another bowl for the child over there please!" She gave a slight giggle as she continued. Not realizing there was someone else sitting to her right.

"So. I don't think I've met you before so you must be new! Interesting clothing choice if I do say so myself but I ain't one to judge. You do look cute!" As the Sake glass was placed in front of her she thanked the man and took a big sip, holding it in her hand. "If you want. I could show you around. The good places to eat, places where you can be alone. That kind of thing." She slowly turned her head as she spoke. Catching a glimpse of a familiar face for a moment. It took a couple of moments for her mind to process the image before she realized who it was. "Oh how rude of me. My name's Asuka! Bar owner, prank master an-"

Fuck.

The glass flying from her hand she gave a gasp. "S-s...sss...Sensei!" The glass shattering on the floor. Giving a nervous laugh she pondered her next words. She had already been chewed out by Takeshi and thrown to prison... and Her Sensei had most certainly heard about it from him. So she knew. And nothing that had compared to this. "It has... it has been a while." She gave a short nervous laugh as she spoke. "I... eh.... you look good? All honesty, I don't know what to say." She closed her eyes. Waiting to be turned into a popsicle at any moment like the old times.

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[Haku Yuki]

A few moments had passed before the owner returned to place a glass in front of her. There was a sudden squeak which alerted Yuki to the blonde girl's presence. She wasn't sure why she hadn't noticed her when she had first entered. The female took a little time to study her wondering why she looked so nervous. Maybe she just naturally had that affect on people. Yuki smiled and waved at the girl before returning her attention to the wine glass in front of her.

The woman took a long sip of her wine enjoying the sweet taste as it danced on her tongue. For a short time, there was peace, until the silence was broken by a voice she knew all too well. Asuka, her former student and full-time pain in the arse. It had been a long time since she had seen her and to say her feelings for her at the moment we complicated was an understatement. She loved her like she was her own but it was a struggle to find the words to explain how she disappointed her. It wasn't her letting the village down that made her feel this way. It was the toll that it had taken on Takeshi. She heard the glass smash on the floor.

"So you're not satisfied with the mess that you have already caused to this village, you now have to go and make a mess on this kindly man's floor?" She tutted "Rabbit, I thought I taught you better than that?" turned to look at Asuka. Despite her smile, something about her looked broken in some way. Seeing that, all the anger that she felt. All the disappointment melted away. "Don't say anything" She spoke softly to Asuka taking rubbing her shoulder a little before turning the other girl in the room "You'd be wise to stay away from this one Young One, she is nothing but trouble." The Haku address the blonde girl. "Haku Yuki, though I'm sure that you knew that. I'm kind of a big deal around here, who'd though that being married to the Hokage would give you such celebrity status?"

 

[Uzu]

Otami stiffened when Yuki looked at her briefly, but there was no accusation. No calling out. She surmised that indeed, her master had been just simply messing with the naive girl, and quietly the Ryuu vowed revenge. Then another woman appeared between her and the Hokage’s wife; literally. Asuka’s sudden presence made Otami jump with her already frayed nerves but quickly got over it when she didn’t recognize the kimono style or face.

Which was ironic because this woman was the Hokage when Otami had been brought over originally.

The Wildling found Asuka’s sudden friendliness to at least be acceptable - free food really helped. However her sudden comment on her clothing and calling her ‘cute’ felt…strange. The blond wasn’t used to being complement on her looks. It was something that really only started happening in the last few years of her life. Grandpa Sousuke was the first one, complementing her in such a heartfelt way in the ways she looked like her mother without mentioning much of her father it still made her feel fuzzy. She had grown quickly attached to the mechanical man of Suna because of this, and her mother made sure to doubly warn her on the dangers of men calling her things like ‘cute’ and ‘pretty. They would usually be after other things. However, Okibi never stretched that lesson out to girls, and Otami felt somewhat conflicted by Asuka’s compliments; because they felt nearly as sincere as Sousuke’s had.

“You…hit on Otami?” she questioned shyly, making sure this wasn’t one of those situations her mother had talked about. Before things could get too awkward for the wildling, Karma crept into ramen bar.

Apparently Asuka and Yuki knew each other. After getting a warning from the Hokage’s wife, Otami couldn’t help but feel even more curious about the strange, now panicky, red-head. A bowl of hot noodle soup was put down before her and the smells made her stomach tighten. Despite the heat, she couldn’t fight the sudden hunger that always besieged her appetite in the presence of meat. Picking up the chopsticks, she gave thanks quietly before breaking apart the noodle utensil, then lifting the bowl and turning to watch the show. The danger was off of Otami for a change, and the devil on her right shoulder was cackling.

 

[Uchiha Asuka]

Asuka turned her head and looked down seeing the disspointment plastered all over her Sensei's face. She knew she had made a mistake but if wasn't as if it was her choice to break down. But who would understand her anyway. It had been made clear no one cared so she shouldn't care either about what people think. In the end all it mattered was her main objective which she didn't need anyone for. Taught her... she didn't answer as she continued to look down with a sad sigh.

Although, the hand on her shoulder did surprise her. Looking up she tried figuring out her expression. She knew. She knew something had happened. W... was this compassion? Her eyes started to tear up as her Sensei looked towards the other girl. That immediatley ended once the comment was made. Her? Trouble? She gasped. Giving a pout as she turned her head. "Being imaginative, creative and resourceful is anything but being trouble." She crossed her arms "I survived being trained by you. That should be enough to give me a recognition." She gave a nod.

The thing that did get her was Otami's comment. Hit on Otami? She hadn't punched her. Hit her or was anyway violent towards the child. But, that's a very weird comment to make. She thought about it for a few moments before it finally hit. She wasn't talking about violence... she was thinking romantically. Her pout immediatley turned to embarassement, then to anger. Her? Hitting on a child? As a replacement Sake glass was given to her she gave the girl a smile, her eye twitching. Maybe she should drop her Ramen bowl on her legs, throw the glass at her head, pull the chair from under her. No, too mean. The child probably didn't know what she meant anyway. She gave a sigh. Man, she had changed. Rubbing the girls head a couple of times she giggled. "Nah. You'll have plenty of suitors that'll want your hear. I ain't one of them. I just said that cause I think you're pretty that's all."

 

[Uzu]

[Topic Left due to Inactivity]