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（ she snorts, altogether a rather inelegant and unladylike sound. takes another bite of her little caramel. her stomach isn't quite in open revolt, although she acknowledges that she probably shouldn't be putting pure sugar into her system when she's been running on several days of soldier pills. ）

No, I've been in the Wasteland. （ we don't talk about the labyrinth... ） I actually just got back last night.

You what?

[Jeez, no wonder she looks so rough. Fukawa leans forward, brows knotted together in worry.]

What the hell, that's practially suicidal! How long w-were you out there?

About a week.

（ clarifying that it's not really dangerous at all for her and sasuke, especially given what they were doing... that would just further what fukawa already knows, so instead she says nothing on the subject. ）

It's all right, I wasn't injured or anything.

Seriously?!

[She'd been gone for a week and Fukawa had no idea. None! She could have tripped on a rock and impaled herself on a stalagmite, or gotten massacred by wild beasts! And Fukawa would have been over here wringing her hands like an idiot, hauling sweets to a door no one would ever answer again.]

Ugh, you're so damn reckless! It's annoying. What if you had b-been injured, and no one was there to come look for you?

（ her fingers twitch, just a little, as she reaches for another of the sweets. that the other woman's comments come from a place of concern is the only reason she doesn't just immediately lose her temper, but frayed thin as she is it's hard to keep holding on. she does not reply for a moment, instead choosing to select another candy from the tray, some sort of clump of marshmallows in a peanut-butter sugary mess? it immediately gets all over her fingers as she pulls it apart. ）

It wasn't reckless. I know what I'm doing, Fukawa. Please leave it at that.

[This isn't very reassuring. Fukawa's left grumbling under her breath and slouching in her seat.]

B-being capable isn't the same as being invincible.

[There's a hulking girl with the very same name who could have attested to that. A thought that drags her mood to lower depths. If Oogami ever showed up here...

Her appetite has been wiped out. Fukawa pushes the sweets further to other girl and folds her arms over her chest.]

At least leave a note next time.

（ she sighs, pops the rest of the weird sticky marshmallow peanut mess into her mouth and then goes to wash her hands at the sink. ）

I didn't say I was invincible. I said I wasn't reckless.

（ though, with sasuke's susano'o... they basically would be invincible, as long as their chakra didn't run out. but... that's also only a viable option as long as he cares to save her life. ）

But you're right. If I go somewhere dangerous again, I'll let you know.

[The pouting isn't completely assuaged. When Sakura rises to rinse her hands Fukawa feels a twinge of fright. Perhaps she has outstayed her welcome. Maybe she pried too much. Or something wretched did happen and she doesn't trust Fukawa with the terrible truth.

And yet, all the admonishment she gets is a soft surrender. Fukawa twists in her chair. Takes the other girl in proper, worrying the bottom of her lip.]

All right, [She says at last.] Just don't expect to fix everything yourself, either.

[This place was packed with heroes, kings, mystics, knights and (self-proclaimed) demi-gods. After the amount of people that broke in and broke out of the Gallows, Fukawa's sure there are numbskulls enough to cover most emergencies. It shouldn't all be on one young girl's shoulders.]

Edited (Spelling ) 2022-12-18 21:40 (UTC)

I don't. Trust me on that one. This was just... something personal to me.

（ and she doesn't really want to talk about it any more. she dries her hands and comes back to the table. ）

Hey, do you want to get out of here for a bit? I've been staring at this pile of books for hours, it's probably a good idea for me to get some air.

[There's nothing much she can say to that. It's troublesome, though. If it was personal, could it have been about someone else? Someone she was close to?

Fukawa looks back to the tin of sweets, feeling quite queasy. She couldn't say why. Was it jealousy? That Sakura might have another friend? That that friend had someone who'd go looking for them? Or was it the lingering threat of vanishing? People could die at any time. You didn't have to go slinking into the Labyrinth to meet terrible fates.

It could just be the simplest threat of all: loss itself, in all its cold degrees.

Stupid. She barely knows this girl, especially compared to Komaru. They've spent time together but they haven't told each other anything significant. They're still hiding themselves away, and that's not what true friendship is. A̦̟̠n̙̠͜d̝̻͍ y̦̞͜o̻͙u͍͇͙'̼͙͔r̦̞e͖͎ j͔̻̠u̡͙͔s̠̦t͉̞͍ s͇͎͜q̡̦̠u̦̘͔i͓̙̪r̢͇͕m̢͎͔i̺̺̺n͍̙g͚̟͜ t̡͎͇h̠̺i͇̦̟n̡͚͇k͎͓͉i̫͙̺n̙̪͜g̦̟̻ a̡̞̦b̡͔̺o̪̠͎u̝̪͙t͔̪͜ w̦̺̺h̦͙͜a̡̡̻t̘͕͓ s̪̝̞h͚͉̦e̘̪͙'̢͉͇l̢̢͓l̼̫͇ s͓͖a͉͔̦y̡͚̦,͓͇͉ a͉͎̻r͔̝͖e̦͓͔n͓̺'͎͎͙t͕̺̼ y̘̼͔o̡͇͍u̘̝?͖͖̼]

Eh? [She blinks up, grateful for the interjection. Though she has to rewind the words before she can make sense of them.] Oh. Um. Okay? It's c-cold out.

[She rises from her chair with a frown.]

R-really cold. Like, bathing in dry ice, cold. Do you have a decent coat?

Yeah, mine should be all right.

（ it's easy enough to dig out her coat — it's long, coloured a soft deep red, and gloves and mitts to go along with it. shinobi — especially those trained in chakra control — tend not to be quite as bothered by the cold as everyone else, able to circulate energy more precisely to necessary areas, but she's still from the land of fire, and certainly accustomed to warmer climes. ）

What about you? Do you need anything extra? I have another set of gloves if your hands are cold.

Um.

[She gives it a think. This cold was hopeless, you couldn't shake it for real unless you snuggled up next to someone. Even then it was barely a reprieve.]

I d-don't know how much good it'll do, but sure. [She moves slowly, reclaiming her winter accoutrements with ginger grips.] I think this weather is another c-curse or something.

Edited 2022-12-22 05:39 (UTC)

Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be a curse.

（ the sarcasm is heavy and irate, done even as she pulls on her coat and tucks a scarf around her neck. on her way back to fukawa with the second pair of gloves, she steals another candy out of the tin, and then puts the lid back on to keep everything fresh. ）

This place could try not being the worst for a day, huh? Here. （ she holds out the pair of gloves, simple black, for fukawa to take. ） We'll figure something out.

[The bleak commentary actually draws a smile from her. She's so used to Sakura's even-keel composure. It's refreshing to see her irritated for a change.

As long as its not at her of course.]

I don't think it's capable of anything else. Though, I'd r-rather die in a blizzard than a volcanic explosion. [She takes the gloves with a slight nod, slipping them on to fit under her thick woolen mittens. She rezips her coat and steps into her boots.]

It's a lot easier to b-bear if you stay in close contact, unfortunately. B-but, I don't mind with you. Not if you don't mind.

That's not a bad choice. Freezing to death is actually one of the less painful ways to die.

（ and she's been close enough to dying in lava that she is pretty sure she knows what her preference would be. but it's probably also telling of her mental state that she's gone from casual disparagement of their surroundings to supremely blasé facts about death and dying.

she tugs a fuzzy toque with a pink pom on over her hair, and gives fukawa a firm nod. ）

I don't mind at all. Shall we?

[She glances at her sidelong.] If the d-doctor says so, I guess it must be.

[Kinda morbid there. That's her territory.

She waits for the hat to get tugged in place (pom-poms...so cute...) before shyly winding her arm through Sakura's. The mittens are too thick to get a good grip on anything with, and they'll be warmer this way. Besides, it's nice. Just being near her.

As they edge through the door her mouth feels dry as paper. It can't be blamed on the winter wind just yet. She's also too antsy to look the other girl in the eye. What's with these jitters all of a sudden?]

So. Wh-what would you say is the most painful way to die? If you d-don't count torture, that is.

（ she tugs fukawa in a little closer, more an indication that it's okay to be close than otherwise, and then off they go! the cold air steals her breath from the moment they step through the door, and the effects of the chill are instantaneous, she can feel her nose going numb, which makes her huff and lift her free gloved hand to breathe into.

morbidity aside, she does know the answer to that, and continues quietly — ）

The most painful... mm, that depends on several factors. Immolation is deeply unpleasant, but the size of the fire and any accelerants have an impact. Assuming a slower fire, and enough oxygen present in the environment that you won't lose consciousness from hypoxia... You feel everything until a third and fourth degree burn, at which point your nerves are too damaged to relay a pain response.

[The subtle tug gives her a little tickle of pride. Sure there were external conditions at play, but even under duress, wasn't it nice to feel wanted? Fukawa allows herself to nestle closer and for the first time feels grateful for the shitty weather. If they don't become a conjoined icicle before the evening jaunt is over, she can count this as a highlight of the month.]

I th-thought it might be that. [Equally quiet, equally pensive. She didn't get to see that particular execution. Heard about it later, saw bits from the recordings. Maybe it was a mercy that there was a sudden twist. At least a collision would have been immediate and final, not the slow dissolution of flesh on the body.

She grimaces. Of the punishments she'd witnessed?]

I think stoning could be worse. If it's not s-something strong enough to kill you quickly.

（ stoning isn't in and of itself something most shinobi would need to be cautious of — more a method of execution in iwagakure than anything used directly on a battlefield. she's seen some truly creative uses of earth jutsu, especially in the war, but they just don't utilize methods like that, whereas if you're caught out by someone who specializes in fire... the only fuel a fire technique needs is your own clothing. amaterasu, not even that. ）

I almost feel like that would fall under torture. There's no reason to stone someone to death except to prolong the pain of their passing.

（ what a wonderful conversation they're having, as they shuffle off down the street. there aren't many people out — it's late, and between that and the cruel temperature, she imagines most people don't see a point. but it is nice, to get out of her little apartment, to be in someone's company. fukawa nestles in against her, and sakura smiles faintly to herself as she makes room to accommodate the other girl. ）

Hmmph. You're right. [Fukawa grows quiet. That would count for all the executions, probably. They had a dual purpose in that way.] F-fire it is.

[Maybe they should talk about something else. She shoots Sakura a glance through her bangs. She'd neglected to come up with a list of subjects before inviting herself over. A rookie move. Komaru was so chipper and clueless, she could drag a rock into conversation just by blurting every thought in her head. Which meant Fukawa never had to try hard to fill a silent gap, and so flounders now.

Then there's a giggle above. From the street lamp.]

Huh?

[She glances up and immediately blanches.]

Oh no...

（ well, she'd been about ready to change the subject anyway. she has a certain tolerance for morbidity — she worked with the funerary branch of the allied armies identifying bodies for months after the war — but even with naruto's disappearance weighing on her, she has no desire to be lost to it. it's why she's here at all, fukawa at her side.

the titter draws her attention upwards, and her gaze narrows.

does it still count if she just burns the mistletoe to ash? ）

Really?

（ she asks that in exasperation to the sprite, where it whoops and twirls in excitement. sakura sighs, and then gives fukawa a sideways look. ）

Sorry, I should have been paying better attention. Um... is there someone you'd like to call, or...?

Me? Are you k-kidding? [Though a few people had been extremely patient and generous with her, several hadn't. Felix had been devastating, and she'd been warned to stay away from him besides. And even among the kinder souls, abusing that privilege was out of the question. Who'd run out in the snow and cold just to kiss her?] I'd die if I tried to ask anyone! I won't survive that level of rejection!

[What to do...]

Wh-what about you? You're popular. You call someone.

（ her lips purse briefly. could she call someone? sure. she knows at least a few people who might be willing to come rescue her, but... well. there are risks inherent in that as well, like other people accidentally getting trapped by the fairies. she's lucky jonas had been able to avoid it before... and she's really not going to ask him a second time.

besides... ultimately, they got themselves into this mess, they can get themselves out of it too. ）

I'm not going to call anyone.

（ that's said decisively, even though she isn't quite looking at fukawa as she says it. she extricates her arm from where it's looped around the other girl's and tucks her hair behind her ears, now nearly the same shade of pink. ）

Here — it's easiest if we do it.

[The firmness takes her aback. Fukawa tilts her head, like a dog trying to catch a noise better.]

You...y-you mean that? Us?

[Oh. Why is her stomach doing a backflip? Was the candy poisoned after all?]

B-but, are you — you're okay with that? That we're both girls and all?

（ she makes a soft hmm of noise in answer. her conversation with lady gilia is never far from her mind after all this time. the way the woman had spoken so tenderly about her wife...

it's not unusual for her to have fantasies. mostly, they've been focused on sasuke as long as she can remember. silly, chaste things — like how he might hold her hand, or kiss her. but recently, she's found herself wondering... would ino...?

ah! no, she's not going to think about that right now. she shakes her head, wishing she could disappear under her silly little toque. ）

It doesn't bother me. My world... that sort of thing isn't discussed or talked about at all, but this place is different.

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skips order for mistletoes

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