The two boys would stare across the table towards each other. They both refused to make direct eye contact, staring down towards the table. The situation was beyond awkward with how they were both were. It was completely natural that they would be so awkward given the circumstances though. It made near perfect sense. Kiya had just been about to attempt to flee the Mist Village, motivated by his own fear and problems of self-worth. Chigetsu had secretly been sent on a mission to prevent Kiya from deserting. Both of them had an uncomfortable secret they were keeping from the other. While Chigetsu knew the source of Kiya's anxiety and what he was trying to hide, Kiya didn't know that Chigetsu knew. It created this strange scenario where Chigetsu had to hide that he knew what Kiya was trying to hide him from while spontaneously coming up with whatever explanations he could to make his actions seem natural.

Honestly adding the element of going to a café probably was a bad idea. It had been completely natural in the moment to ask in the moment. It had done well to lead Kiya further away from the edge of the village. Hopefully distance would lead to Kiya being further dissuaded from actually going through with his original plan of leaving the village. It led to this incredibly strange situation without Chigetsu realizing though. It had already been awkward beforehand, but not there was some uncomfortable undertone that Chigetsu had asked Kiya out on a date without realizing?

Kiya would gently sip at the tea that he had ordered. Chigetsu's eyes would focus down on the coffee that he had decided to order. It would be the Chigetsu who broke the silence first. "So..." He would turn up, catching Kiya's eyes for a moment. "… It's so nice to see you again. It's been such a long time since the academy." The other boy would immediately divert his gaze after looking into Chigetsu's eyes, only to turn back after Chigetsu had spoken up. "It has been a long time since we were in the academy together... A few years." There would be another uncomfortable silence between the two.

Chigetsu swallowed nervously. "It was such a coincidence that I found you out there... Sometimes I go to just watch the ocean. I really didn't expect to see you... How have you been?" He would punctate that with some nervous laughter. With nothing really to lose Chigetsu would just throw himself at the wall at this point. "I know we weren't really the closest friends in the academy, but I always thought about-…" He would cut himself off, realizing how that probably sounded. "I mean. I always wanted to be friends with you."

Kiya would slowly open his mouth as if he were going to respond, but nothing would come out. Whether the other boy had his words get caught in his throat or he just didn't know how to respond wasn't clear. Chigetsu wasn't so willing to just let the awkward silence continue though. "I-I mean! That probably sounds pretty weird." He would let out another bout of quick awkward laughter. "B-But.. It just. It's hard being a genin. You know? I feel like it's so hard to keep friends. Everyone I knew from the academy has sort of disappeared, and I barely have time anymore." That was partially true. Chigetsu barely had any friends in the academy to keep after graduating in the first place, but with that minor detail removed he was telling the truth.


Kiya's expression would soften slightly, turning a bit more sympathetic than the blatant discomfort he had been wearing earlier. Slowly the male would untense from his earlier position, and Kiya was beginning to look a lot less like he was ready to make a mad dash for it at any moment. "Y-Yeah. I think I understand how you feel. Things have been so … Hard lately." Chigetsu would quickly nod in agreement with Kiya. "The longer I'm a genin the more I think I'm just not cut out for the thing..."

"I feel the same way. It's hard... I don't know. It really feels like I'm just... It's just work and work that doesn't matter or mean anything. Nothing I do will change anything and I don't have any of the talent necessary to advance... Ah, I'm glad we met suddenly like this Chigetsu..." Kiya would offer the other boy a sad smile as he began to sip again at his tea.

"Maybe... Maybe it would be better if we did some work together?" Chigetsu would seize the opportunity as he saw it come. "I feel like it might feel less... Well. Less you know, if it wasn't just... If I wasn't just always alone..."


Kiya would stare blankly at the other. "You want to do a mission together?"


"Yeah... Do you?"

[844]
[Exit]
[Story to be continued in another thread]