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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.

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[acknowledges]

[The punch is affectionate, the press of his knuckles against Bolin's shoulder enough to push him backwards- meant to force his weight to shift. When Naruto looks away this time there's something almost shy in his expression.]

'Cause that's treating it like it's a big deal?

[He's not trying to be difficult, it's the concept that's hard for him to make peace with. All their lives it's been taught to Konoha's children that a shinobi is one who endures. Naruto has learned, consciously or otherwise, that they aren't supposed to bring those things out into the open- they aren't supposed to talk about their hurts or vulnerabilities because it meant victory to an opponent and fear to a friend. It's one thing to get hurt. It's another to admit aloud that that's what it is- hurt.]

[sediments]

[ Bolin's still smiling, reaching out and winding an arm around Naruto's shoulders like a loose headlock as he drags him out into the bedroom, the chill of the moisture in the air starting to get to him. ]

It's treating it like it's something at least, instead of nothing.

[ That's all. There's no way that he expects Naruto to stop putting himself in dangerous situations, or thinking of pain and sacrifice as necessary to achieve his goals. Maybe there is someway or some person that could get him to abandon those habits, but it's not going to be Bolin. It's like trying to pick a fight with the sun.

But even if there's no stopping the inevitable, maybe there's at least some way to frame it differently. Acknowledge pain for what it really is. ]