if you want any kind of nart specifically (pre-shippuden, pre-kyuubey control, pre-god powers or any kind of AU) feel free to just suggest it in a tag or put it in the subject line? i am freeeee and eeeeeeeeasy
Ah? It's clearing up. [The stomping of Naruto's sandals on the counter shook the screen for a moment and, just in that small space of time, Ban saw the destination name. He turned his head just in time to also see Naruto scampering along the countertops to lunge headlong at him. Graceless, he bowed to the straight-forward tackle and Naruto's weight, tumbling to the ground with him. In the midst of it, an 'oof' escaped him as he felt Naruto's knee hit him in the stomach once he came down on him with his full weight. Bent at the back, his legs and his arms, Ban stared up at Naruto, who ended up on top of him in their brief little roll.
Somehow, he kept the bottle perfectly level the whole way down--it currently balancing on his forehead once Naruto started screaming at him. Ban's eyes remained narrowed as he took a bit longer to remember Naruto than he normally would--not that it was out of negligence rather than the fact that he had been trapped in purgatory for over a thousand years. His memory was bound to lapse a little after that.
There was a rapidly forming ache in his back at that angle, so he shifted a bit to straighten himself out before setting his bottle on the floor. Memories came back one by one and Ban found himself remembering someone more familiar to him than a great deal of the people he had ever met. Someone short and loud and desperate to be nice--almost as if he was begging for people to return the favor. Reflexively, he slapped his hand down on the top of Naruto's head a bit hard before ruffling his hair aggressively. His face relaxed from abject boredom to a touch of fondness he couldn't help but show.]
Sorry. When we got the offer to head back--I said I'd go for a bit. Went back home for a bit. I had to help a friend out and make sure he got home in one piece.
[ If Ban had chosen to smack Naruto in the face for literally knocking him over then he probably would have understood; so when Ban clamps a hand on his head only to ruffle his hair in a strange soothingly aggressive kind of way (look, loneliness makes everyone weird, don't judge) Naruto takes a beat or two to pause and gauge the situation. Ban looks kind of happy though, right? Even if it's the slightest bit, and even if it looks kind of unfamiliar on his face.
Because of that, Naruto reaches out to grab his cheek. To make sure he's real, obviously. It kind of garbles Ban's last few words but it's still intelligible. ]
Aah ya did, did ya? [ He's putting on his Jiraiya voice, but it soon drops once he's satisfied Ban isn't an impostor wearing some kind of very convincing flesh-suit. ] Okay. I believe ya. An' I'm glad your friend is okay, but next time ya gotta warn me, y'know? One second you were here and the next you weren't, I didn't know what was goin' on, I thought someone'd kidnapped ya. Or you'd got bored or somethin'.
[ The second seemed more likely and was what Naruto had assumed first, but ultimately the outcome is much more favourable. He only feels slightly bad for assuming the worst, but even that doesn't last.
He retreats, scrambling off of Ban and getting to his feet, scrubbing his hand back through his hair as if he's rearranging it when it's never been anything close to arranged in his entire life. ]
Do ya know how long you've been gone for? And what ya missed? [ He throws a glance at the screen. ] I mean there's this, for starters. Stuff's goin' wrong everywhere an' I dunno how to fix this kinda magic stuff, I only know how to punch stuff, so I'm outta ideas, y'know.
[One eye shut when Naruto pinched his cheek, leaving Ban to look only half-exasperated. Spending time with Jericho taught him that teenagers could be way more intrusive than he remembered himself being--which was an easy shoe to drop given he didn't spend time with anyone else in town when he was one. When Naruto let go and decided to get up, Ban did the same and picked up his bottle, balancing it on his palm.]
Well--that's my bad. Things happened pretty fast, but... Sorry. [Even if it wasn't entirely his fault--Ban still had the presence of mind to apologize. It was just surprising that he had it in him to apologize to anyone for bad behavior, whether or not it was intentional.]
[Given the fact that his initial 'interview' was an angry one where he actively threatened ALASTAIR's agent, they probably assumed he felt the same when the option to leave actually opened up. It was weird how he actually felt hestitation at the time.
Naruto's question was one he didn't bother asking.]
...But, nah. I've never asked too many questions with these folks.
[Finding a bench to park himself on, Ban propped one elbow on his knee while the other one lifted the bottle's mouth to his lips. He paused, offering Naruto a lazy little smirk. He was never one for caring too much about the mission on a detail-oriented level. It was dull. Naruto took the words out of his mouth--he was the muscle. Even when it came to his own magic, Ban wasn't too much of an expert. He could mold it and make it work in complex ways but when it came to all the technology mixed with magic he saw all around him--it might as well have been something else entirely.
What Ban did know was how to read people. Naruto, despite being a ball of pure energy, could still feel stress and fatigue. Loneliness always made those things build up much faster and he was always too nice a guy for his own good, so Ban suspected that Naruto was overworking himself.]
Why don't you and I run a mission together? You sound like you could use a breather... and I really need to stretch my legs--so, I can take the reigns on it.
[ Naruto isn't really expecting an apology - well, not one as genuine and as easy as that one, anyway - but when it comes he feels strangely comforted by it, as if being reassured of his decision that Ban is good people... even though, to Naruto, literally everyone for the most part falls under his good people umbrella. ]
You an' me? [ He parrots, sticking his hands in the pockets of his jacket and looking mildly interested for a long moment. It did sound good - he's been keeping busy like always, but with people leaving left and right and the missions being garbled there's a real feeling of a lack of control or loss of it, and even to someone as naive as Naruto it makes him feel a little uneasy.. Plus, Ban has a similarly loose sense of priority, and though 'taking a breather' probably isn't ideal right now, it's nice to have the offer there. ]
Aaah, are you just sayin' that 'cos you wanna boss someone around? I ain't bein' your sidekick, y'know!
[ That is absolutely not a no, though, as evident when he turns to the screen and squints at it to try and make out.. well, anything. ]
What kinda mission are ya interested in?
wow THOUGHT I HIT REPLY ON THE ORIGINAL COMMENT this is my hell
[It didn't seem likely he'd match Naruto's enthusiasm, especially given the few missions he had been reading up on. The idea of having a fun mission like the monster-hunting variety the King of Liones had usually offered seemed off the table. The local bosses sounded like they wanted finesse and caution. He was only good at one of those at a time.
Naruto didn't seem like he'd do any better than Ban would, though. Two dim candles could still light up a room, though. With a snicker, Ban snapped his hand on the board behind the hologram he had been reading.
Realizing his arm was elbow-deep in the hologram, Ban wordlessly pulled it back and simply held his finger aloft in front of the text.]
No worries~. If anythin', I don't mind being the guy who's gonna do the heavy-lifting. If you wanna make it your operation, I don't miiind ♪.
[The title of the mission was simply: Eliminate the demonic prince terrorizing this countryside.]
[ Naruto is still categorically not an expert when it comes to these new-age mechanics like holograms and transporters and whatever else has just become a natural way of life the longer he's here, but he feels well versed in them enough to snort with laughter when Ban's arm is engulfed in holo-glow. It's funny because it's not him for a change. ]
Oh, sure! Sounds good to me, y'know! [ The squiggles mean absolutely nothing to Naruto, so it's not like he can complain much. He raises his arms above his head and flexes each one at the elbow like he's prepping for a fight in a video game. It's true enough that Naruto is literally ready to go at the drop of a hat, and now is no exception. ] Are ya sure you've not got rusty while you've been gone, huh?
[ Where the fuck is he going, he's just. He's just off. Apparently he's been hungry for action more than even he's realized. ]
It's okay if ya have, I'm here to watch your back, y'know!
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thinhammer) wrote2030-10-30 07:53 pm
no subject
Somehow, he kept the bottle perfectly level the whole way down--it currently balancing on his forehead once Naruto started screaming at him. Ban's eyes remained narrowed as he took a bit longer to remember Naruto than he normally would--not that it was out of negligence rather than the fact that he had been trapped in purgatory for over a thousand years. His memory was bound to lapse a little after that.
There was a rapidly forming ache in his back at that angle, so he shifted a bit to straighten himself out before setting his bottle on the floor. Memories came back one by one and Ban found himself remembering someone more familiar to him than a great deal of the people he had ever met. Someone short and loud and desperate to be nice--almost as if he was begging for people to return the favor. Reflexively, he slapped his hand down on the top of Naruto's head a bit hard before ruffling his hair aggressively. His face relaxed from abject boredom to a touch of fondness he couldn't help but show.]
Sorry. When we got the offer to head back--I said I'd go for a bit. Went back home for a bit. I had to help a friend out and make sure he got home in one piece.
He's fine, now.
no subject
Because of that, Naruto reaches out to grab his cheek. To make sure he's real, obviously. It kind of garbles Ban's last few words but it's still intelligible. ]
Aah ya did, did ya? [ He's putting on his Jiraiya voice, but it soon drops once he's satisfied Ban isn't an impostor wearing some kind of very convincing flesh-suit. ] Okay. I believe ya. An' I'm glad your friend is okay, but next time ya gotta warn me, y'know? One second you were here and the next you weren't, I didn't know what was goin' on, I thought someone'd kidnapped ya. Or you'd got bored or somethin'.
[ The second seemed more likely and was what Naruto had assumed first, but ultimately the outcome is much more favourable. He only feels slightly bad for assuming the worst, but even that doesn't last.
He retreats, scrambling off of Ban and getting to his feet, scrubbing his hand back through his hair as if he's rearranging it when it's never been anything close to arranged in his entire life. ]
Do ya know how long you've been gone for? And what ya missed? [ He throws a glance at the screen. ] I mean there's this, for starters. Stuff's goin' wrong everywhere an' I dunno how to fix this kinda magic stuff, I only know how to punch stuff, so I'm outta ideas, y'know.
no subject
Well--that's my bad. Things happened pretty fast, but... Sorry. [Even if it wasn't entirely his fault--Ban still had the presence of mind to apologize. It was just surprising that he had it in him to apologize to anyone for bad behavior, whether or not it was intentional.]
[Given the fact that his initial 'interview' was an angry one where he actively threatened ALASTAIR's agent, they probably assumed he felt the same when the option to leave actually opened up. It was weird how he actually felt hestitation at the time.
Naruto's question was one he didn't bother asking.]
...But, nah. I've never asked too many questions with these folks.
[Finding a bench to park himself on, Ban propped one elbow on his knee while the other one lifted the bottle's mouth to his lips. He paused, offering Naruto a lazy little smirk. He was never one for caring too much about the mission on a detail-oriented level. It was dull. Naruto took the words out of his mouth--he was the muscle. Even when it came to his own magic, Ban wasn't too much of an expert. He could mold it and make it work in complex ways but when it came to all the technology mixed with magic he saw all around him--it might as well have been something else entirely.
What Ban did know was how to read people. Naruto, despite being a ball of pure energy, could still feel stress and fatigue. Loneliness always made those things build up much faster and he was always too nice a guy for his own good, so Ban suspected that Naruto was overworking himself.]
Why don't you and I run a mission together? You sound like you could use a breather... and I really need to stretch my legs--so, I can take the reigns on it.
no subject
You an' me? [ He parrots, sticking his hands in the pockets of his jacket and looking mildly interested for a long moment. It did sound good - he's been keeping busy like always, but with people leaving left and right and the missions being garbled there's a real feeling of a lack of control or loss of it, and even to someone as naive as Naruto it makes him feel a little uneasy.. Plus, Ban has a similarly loose sense of priority, and though 'taking a breather' probably isn't ideal right now, it's nice to have the offer there. ]
Aaah, are you just sayin' that 'cos you wanna boss someone around? I ain't bein' your sidekick, y'know!
[ That is absolutely not a no, though, as evident when he turns to the screen and squints at it to try and make out.. well, anything. ]
What kinda mission are ya interested in?
wow THOUGHT I HIT REPLY ON THE ORIGINAL COMMENT this is my hell
Naruto didn't seem like he'd do any better than Ban would, though. Two dim candles could still light up a room, though. With a snicker, Ban snapped his hand on the board behind the hologram he had been reading.
Realizing his arm was elbow-deep in the hologram, Ban wordlessly pulled it back and simply held his finger aloft in front of the text.]
No worries~. If anythin', I don't mind being the guy who's gonna do the heavy-lifting. If you wanna make it your operation, I don't miiind ♪.
[The title of the mission was simply: Eliminate the demonic prince terrorizing this countryside.]
This one sounds real easy~.
i am so sorry i went mia for four months LOL
Oh, sure! Sounds good to me, y'know! [ The squiggles mean absolutely nothing to Naruto, so it's not like he can complain much. He raises his arms above his head and flexes each one at the elbow like he's prepping for a fight in a video game. It's true enough that Naruto is literally ready to go at the drop of a hat, and now is no exception. ] Are ya sure you've not got rusty while you've been gone, huh?
[ Where the fuck is he going, he's just. He's just off. Apparently he's been hungry for action more than even he's realized. ]
It's okay if ya have, I'm here to watch your back, y'know!