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[acknowledges]

Taco Salad is not happy to help you. Taco Salad hungers for justice, and for a bite of whatever you're eating.

Comments

[acknowledges]

I won't laugh.

What happened'attebayo? Did somebody say somethin' mean?

[acknowledges]

Why not just sound like you?

says the neediest person i know

[acknowledges]

[He's gotten used to getting messages from Bolin, and the sound of his voice already has Naruto padding into view with a friendly wave-

one that immediately dies.]

Wha-

What the hell is that supposed to mean?

[passtave]

N-No, nobody said anything...

[ She's so embarrassed that she can't look at him—so she just buries her face in her hands, her voice muffled and small. ]

I-I'm just w-worried that I'm not very... appealing to... someone. O-Or anyone. I know I'm not very mature in a... w-womanly way.

[sediments]

It is me... I wrote it! [ He sighs a little as he rolls onto his side before pushing himself up. ] Just another side of me. One that comes out in letters.

why you gotta call me out like that

[sediments]

[ Bolin really intended to go into this gently, but Naruto is already mad... ]

Nothing! I just remember you saying you never had time for romance!

[acknowledges]

Oh.

[His brows crease.]

Is that 'cause your hair's kinda short? I think it looks real pretty.

[acknowledges]

....No. It's still too weird.

[His head shakes.]

Anyway, why'd you give me money?

just gotta

[acknowledges]

[One hand combs through his hair, and then as if he's had the shortest mental debate ever, he continues walking over- sitting cross-legged in front of his carrier. It isn't the first time Bolin has brought this up, he just can't figure out why this is such a big deal to him. Maybe he and his friends had time to worry about those things back home, while they were trying to save their city and everything- but Naruto is hard pressed to think of any of his friends that might have pursued a romantic relationship. It's probably another shinobi thing. They all had to become so much stronger in so little time, there just wasn't a chance for anything else.

He sighs.]

None of us really did. And anyway, the person I liked had somebody else in her heart.

[His cheek rests in one hand, leaning his weight onto it heavily.]

How come you're so worried about it'attebayo?

[sediments]

It’s not money. [ IT’S NOT WEIRD NARUTO BOLIN IS VERY ELOQUENT. ] Well… I guess it is a coin. But anyway, it’s just a charm. We have them back where I come from. This one’s for good health.

[ He’s done frowning over Naruto saying Bolin can’t be fancy. ]

You don’t have little charms in your world?

[passtave]

[ It's a good thing her face is still in her hands, so he can't see the blush that burns across her cheeks when he calls her pretty. But no—she shakes her head, because Big Sister Hinoka has even shorter hair and she's one of the strongest and most beautiful women Sakura knows. ]

I-It's not that... [ She spreads her fingers apart so that she can glance at him before hurriedly closing them again. Just the thought of trying to explain... ]

I sh-shouldn't have said anything! I'm sorry!

[sediments]

Because you’re my friend. [ And this is without ulterior motive. He’d had this conversation with Saber as well, startled when she told him that she couldn’t be happy while they’re waging war.

But there’s always some enemy; some war; or some purpose. Bolin’s lived too easy of a life to really understand. ]

And we’ve got time, the girls here are nice. [ He quirks a brow. ] Or you don’t think that kind of thing would make you happy?

[ Which is fair. Mako was going through that phase where he “wasn’t ready” for a relationship. ]

[acknowledges]

[Charms charms... his head tilts, finger scratching at the marks on one cheek.]

I can't really think of any. Is it supposed to be medicine, or magic or something? We've got stuff like that.

It's supposed to keep me healthy?

[acknowledges]

[That isn't the right answer. Naruto frowns thoughtfully, and then- oh hey-!]

Is it cause you're kinda flat?

[acknowledges]

I don't think it really works like that'attebayo. [This doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to him. Naruto has never thought of relationships as things to make him happy- they were just things that happened when people cared about each other. It hasn't occurred to him to go out looking for one.]

But if you think so, why aren't you dating one then?

[passtave]

[ Ah... ]

S-So you think so too... [ At least she lowers her hands—only to fold her arms over her chest and curl in on herself. Is that the faint glistening of tears in her eyes? ]

oh boy here we go 1/idefk

[acknowledges]

[She isn't the first girl he's known to feels insecure about that kind of thing. Unfortunately Naruto isn't the kind of person to handle- well... anything, with grace.]

Well maybe you're not stacked or anything, but I think they're still nice!

[acknowledges]

Ah wait-

[acknowledges]

What I mean is they're okay

[acknowledges]

I know lots of girls that don't look like they do in magazines or anything

[acknowledges]

But that doesn't got anything to do with it. They're still pretty, and some of them...

[acknowledges]

.....Actually some of them can be really scary'attebayo

[acknowledges]

But there's a lot more to a girl than her chest. Just because you don't look like that doesn't mean you aren't womanly or anything like that

done

[acknowledges]

I like you just the way you are.

[sediments]

It’s not - [ Is it weird? He makes a face. ] It’s not magic or medicine or anything. You just hang onto it…

That’s all.