Eh? I wonder if there’s any good place to get something to drink around here. Tōkai stretched his arms behind his back as he yawned aloud. A little cloud of vapor expelled from his mouth into the cold night air. It was close to winter, or practically already there, in the Hidden Stone Village, and as the name would suggest, stones tends to hold in the cold. The wanderer simply walked about the village streets, some early night patrons rushed by here and there, guided by the lights of cute little shops. Tōkai pulled his coat collar up in an effort to try and keep a little warm, an endeavor that quickly failed as the collar fell back down. He soon gave up entirely and let his coat fall off his shoulders. The cold was refreshing in a way, it seemed like it had been a long time since winter had come around. Tōkai couldn’t be sure how true that exactly was since winter did come every year, but the crisp, cold air kept him on his toes. Although, he was sure he had been in Sunagakure no Sato last winter, was there even a winter in the desert? The question was left to be unanswered as the lone Otsuka continued to wander the trees of Iwa.

His head turned, glancing around at the potential places, he had enough on him for a few drinks, though likely not a place to sleep. But what did it happen to matter? Maybe he would get lucky for one night yet again. The smile didn’t leave his face as he thought of the possible ways he could get into a bed, but he never was sure he could secure one in all honesty. He sighed internally, yet that was the exciting part of being someone like him. Never being exactly sure what he going to do for basic human necessities, like a bed or even some food. He was sure always, that he could find something drink.

Ah... Some sake will warm me up! It was an easy conclusion to come to, and the truly the fastest way to get out of the cold. A few more glances around and the deaf man spotted a sign for a bar, for such places were always there out of convenience.  He stopped and made his way inside, a cold wind breezing through an open door and a little bell ringing as he entered. Though, Tōkai being deaf, couldn’t hear it all. He headed to the bar, few patrons were inside, but it was busy enough to have most of the seats taken. Tōkai squeezed in himself a spot and motioned to the bartender, a red haired woman with a black vest and bow tie. Tōkai flipped out a large coin with a nod of his head.



He smiled with a wink. The bartender only nodded as she caught the coin in her hand. Soon she poured him a drink and Tōkai took a generous sip. He eyes scanned the bar, not a place too fancy, dark wood paneling, a few incandescent lighting, shaped his silent world. He sniffed in, catching a hint of cigarette smoke in the air. Most of the patrons appeared murmuring to one another, though not that the deaf man could hear anything. He simply leaned against the bar top, humming to himself some tuneless melody.

583~

Maikeru walked through the streets of Iwagakure, his shirt with many sweats stains upon them, the effects of the scorching dessert of his journey from Suna. His feet slowly patted on to the hard ground, his muscles aching within his body. His body begins to become cold of the near winter air. His breath becomes visible, which is a result of the near winter waether. He continues to move a gleeming the lights of Iwa, looking around, seeing many walk by, looking busy. He then puts his thoughts on some work he can do once again. He decided to look for flyers that are usually posted, indicating some work.

"Hmm...looking for a cat? No thanks. Babysitting. As if." Maikeru decided to take a break from looking for a trivial job someone can pay him for. Life in Iwagakure seemed boring at the moment. He decided to do the most logical thing at times such as this: drinking.

Maikeru looked around the village, looking for a place to get miledy drunk. He looked at one place to consider. It was....glamerous, with pink lights flashing out of it. It was obviously a little more than a place to get booz. Maikeru decided to skip that option, not really wanting to get any action, suck as relaxation. He rubbed his temples, feeling a bit spent from the trip to Iwa without rest. His legs were weak and he could tell his eyes were blood shot. Maikeru spotted a lower porfiled bar on the corner of a street. "Just my style." Maikeru walked in, seeing the place was mostly quiet with a few people having small conversations. Maikeru steadily walked in, sitting at the counter. He took a long deep breath. "I need somthing sweet, fizzy, and can give a good kick of you know what I mean." The bartender steadily looked at Maikeru. The bartender had on an apron, a stout stature, and a mustach along his upper lip. "Not sure if I can comply, kid. Let me see some ID" Maikeru took out a fake ID he had made when in Suna. Maikeru watches the bartender carefully studdy the ID. "Alright everthing looks alright. Is that all you want? A drink?"
"You have food? What do ya got?" The bartender hands Maikeru a menue. "I will have to make this guys drink first." The pudgy man gestured to the person sitting next to him. Maikeru didn't pay him any mind. "Fine. Whatever." Maikeru burried his nose intk the menue to see what he can get.

That lady over there isn't too bad... Oh, that guy is pretty handsome as well.

Tōkai smiled, his hand on his chin as he scanned the bar for loners of the night. Loners were the easiest to spot, and the easiest to take advantage of. He had become a little bit of an offhand expert about the skill of getting into someone's bed, but most of the time he did it just to mess around. Or rather, sometimes it did have a purpose, like having the bed but just for fun, but to actually have something to sleep in comfortably. He downed his drink in a few gulps, licking his lips in satisfaction. It had taken away the edge of the chill, but the night was just beginning. It wasn't that he needed the drink to make him braver, but flirting happened to be more fun when under a little, just a little of influence.

His coat hung off his shoulders, his head turned to movement out of the corner of his eye. Another patron had entered the bar. He seemed a little on the younger side, the male bartender even questioned him, but apparently his ID, which Tōkai easily suspected to be fake, passed. He had his face buried in the menu, but Tōkai could see that the young man had dark skin and light colored hair. There seemed to be something familiar about him, Tōkai had to blink a few times in thought before he smiled in realization.

Tapping his fingers on the bar, he scooted closer to the young man. He hummed aloud and leaned over rather unnaturally close that his head was practically resting on the young man's shoulder, not caring that he happened to be in the other's personal space. His blue eyes looked innocently up with a smile and soon a laugh graced his lips.


Tōkai laid his hand gently on the younger Otsuka's shoulder, hugging him in an odd embrace. The blue haired man nuzzled himself closer to his family member, caressing him childishly. Tōkai couldn't quite remember the last time he'd seen his cousin, but he was both pleasantly surprised and extremely excited that he happened to coincidentally run into him in Iwa. Both of them were wanderers, so it wasn't exactly like they always knew where each other was at any giving moment. Tōkai was rarely the type to plan meetings out, so if he was to ever run into the same person more than once, it was by happy coincidence. Or unhappy coincidence if the person didn't particularly enjoy Tōkai's company. (Which was just as likely if so.)



As his messy blue hair covered one of his eyes, Tōkai winked with a devilish smile, additionally referring to the younger with a pet name.The older Otsuka knew full well that the younger was perhaps too young to be at the bar. But it wasn't that in any way Tōkai would stop him, in fact the elder only encouraged such reckless behavior. Yet as the bartender poured up the drink, Tōkai grabbed it before the younger had a chance.



Tōkai held the glass in front of his cousin's face, playfully teasing him about the drink. The ice in the glass clinked, though Tōkai was unable to hear it. He held the glass freely, ready to let go if the younger man so chose to take it.

624/1207~