I'm well-aware of the fact that you feel guilty but acting as if your guilt trumps my free will is an insult to me. I have agency. I know what I'm doing.
[Qrow saw the first message. He then proceeded to ignore it for several more chimes before some of the others in the bar (not the vampire bar, however) started giving him dirty looks, and then he turned it off. Like an asshole.
Sasuke's definitely going to have to hunt him down, rip.]
Knowing that, he isn't about to start this journey half-cocked, or even assume he'll need to resort to drastic measures if they're avoidable. So he calls him again. Then again after that. ]
I'm giving you more chances to avoid this than you deserve. Stop being so selfish and answer. I have better ways to spend my time.
[ Not to mention that he's exhausted and in no small amount of pain. ANOTHER CALL from a man who doesn't know better, only now truly starting to realize what he's going to be forced to do.
It will take him hours to locate him, starting at the speed-dating spot where they met and canvassing the city with a quiet but nevertheless resolute determination. And when he does finally enter the correct bar, conversing with the bartender who points him towards a table in the back? Well, he looks tired. Eyes bruised, hood drawn up to protect him from light, but emotionless and stalwart nevertheless. He approaches, chair scraping the ground when he pulls it out to take a seat. ]
[Hours later, Qrow is still in the same bar where he got the first text. Sasuke will find that he's ... well, he's drunk, clearly, but he's otherwise fine. A little pale, still, like he's only done the absolute bare minimum to keep himself fed since then, but safe. His watch sits on the bar counter, screen black. Perhaps one could even assume he has no idea Sasuke tried to get in touch with him, until Qrow turns his head just enough to look at the newcomer, seems stricken for a moment before he looks back down to his glass, and takes another drink before he even tries to answer.]
...What do you want, kid?
[Hasn't he made enough of a nuisance of himself already.]
To not be spoken down to by a man acting like a child, among other things. I could proceed to list them, if you like.
[ A sharp retort that lacks the fire needed to make it a real barb, eyes drifting to the watch before returning to Qrow himself. He smells like alcohol, the bitter stale scent that comes from liquor consumed and not liquor still in its glass. How long has he been here? Long enough to get himself drunk, and Sasuke considers whether or not slapping him would help to sober him up. Unlikely. ]
[He sighs. The last thing he wants to do right now is deal with this, but he can't quite shoo the kid away, under the circumstances. Again, he sips from the glass, unable to meet Sasuke's eyes. He considers lying. It comes to him easily enough, after a lifetime of experience with being a spy, but what's the point? Whatever this kid thinks Qrow can do for him, he's wasting his time. Maybe the truth will change his mind about associating with him.]
I read the first one.
[Ignored the next few. Turned off the watch after that.]
You knew it was from me, you knew what we'd experienced together two nights ago, and you knew based upon that that I was likely contacting you for a related reason. Why ignore it?
[ Because making him say it might make him feel even the tiniest bit better. ]
[He considers correcting him about his name, but honestly? Seems like more effort than it's worth. A shoulder lifts, then falls halfheartedly.]
Didn't feel much like talking.
[...]
[He finishes off the drink and finally looks at him. For...a few seconds, before looking away again.]
Were you looking for me since then?
[His stomach churns again at the sight of how exhausted Sasuke looked, and he's tempted to get up and walk out of this bar here and now. Except the kid will just hunt him down again, won't he? He can't let that happen.]
Answer on the first damn message instead of wasting my time. [ He waves the bartender off when the man looks his way, certainly not looking to drown his own miseries. He knows better. Has seen far too many shinobi whose minds didn't agree with their profession and who spent too much time trying to convince themselves of a different reality. They would stumble out of bars into the streets of Konoha while Sasuke walked home from his missions, some vomiting, some crying, some laughing. All of them purging something from their systems that they wouldn't while sober.
He eyes Qrow that much more critically, silent for a moment. ]
There was no other way to make sure you weren't dead or imprisoned.
[He opens his mouth to make a sarcastic comment, but it dies in his throat by the time Sasuke finishes what he has to say. He ... wanted to check if Qrow was okay, after all that? He looks a bit nakedly shocked, before his gaze turns away again, and he flags the bartender back down for another drink.
Shit. He...doesn't have an excuse, really. He should've checked on Sasuke himself sooner, if he wasn't a damn coward. He just couldn't bear to, after what he'd done, and here Sasuke was worrying over his safety. There's a shakiness to his breath like that night, shortly after he was done feeding from him. Effort being made to hold something under control that came from the human side of him, not the monster.
The next drink arrives and he stares down into it, struggling with -- something. He picks it up, then puts it back down, before reaching for it again. Just sits with it in his hand after that, stuck somewhere in feelings he can't seem to verbalize.]
....You shouldn't be worrying about me, after all that. Did you get medical attention afterward, or just deal with it yourself?
[ Sasuke makes little attempt to hide the way his gaze drops to the drink in Qrow's hand, displeased and appraising. He's teetering on the edge of something, but what that is Sasuke doesn't know. Perhaps the only way to find out is to give him a push, but that isn't his job. Not intentionally, at least. ]
Neither. I ended up aided the following day by other Mirrorbound, though for side effects from the full moon itself and not your actions. I wouldn't have volunteered if I couldn't have dealt with it.
Stop underestimating me just because you're irritated with yourself. It's an insult to me.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
text; un: sasukeuchiha; two days after the full moon, 1/?
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I find it unlikely that you haven't seen my message.
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cw alcoholism right off the bat here im so sorry
Sasuke's definitely going to have to hunt him down, rip.]
qrow living his worst life
Knowing that, he isn't about to start this journey half-cocked, or even assume he'll need to resort to drastic measures if they're avoidable. So he calls him again. Then again after that. ]
I'm giving you more chances to avoid this than you deserve. Stop being so selfish and answer. I have better ways to spend my time.
[ Not to mention that he's exhausted and in no small amount of pain. ANOTHER CALL from a man who doesn't know better, only now truly starting to realize what he's going to be forced to do.
It will take him hours to locate him, starting at the speed-dating spot where they met and canvassing the city with a quiet but nevertheless resolute determination. And when he does finally enter the correct bar, conversing with the bartender who points him towards a table in the back? Well, he looks tired. Eyes bruised, hood drawn up to protect him from light, but emotionless and stalwart nevertheless. He approaches, chair scraping the ground when he pulls it out to take a seat. ]
So you're unharmed.
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...What do you want, kid?
[Hasn't he made enough of a nuisance of himself already.]
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[ A sharp retort that lacks the fire needed to make it a real barb, eyes drifting to the watch before returning to Qrow himself. He smells like alcohol, the bitter stale scent that comes from liquor consumed and not liquor still in its glass. How long has he been here? Long enough to get himself drunk, and Sasuke considers whether or not slapping him would help to sober him up. Unlikely. ]
Did you read my messages or didn't you?
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I read the first one.
[Ignored the next few. Turned off the watch after that.]
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You knew it was from me, you knew what we'd experienced together two nights ago, and you knew based upon that that I was likely contacting you for a related reason. Why ignore it?
[ Because making him say it might make him feel even the tiniest bit better. ]
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Didn't feel much like talking.
[...]
[He finishes off the drink and finally looks at him. For...a few seconds, before looking away again.]
Were you looking for me since then?
[His stomach churns again at the sight of how exhausted Sasuke looked, and he's tempted to get up and walk out of this bar here and now. Except the kid will just hunt him down again, won't he? He can't let that happen.]
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Answer on the first damn message instead of wasting my time. [ He waves the bartender off when the man looks his way, certainly not looking to drown his own miseries. He knows better. Has seen far too many shinobi whose minds didn't agree with their profession and who spent too much time trying to convince themselves of a different reality. They would stumble out of bars into the streets of Konoha while Sasuke walked home from his missions, some vomiting, some crying, some laughing. All of them purging something from their systems that they wouldn't while sober.
He eyes Qrow that much more critically, silent for a moment. ]
There was no other way to make sure you weren't dead or imprisoned.
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Shit. He...doesn't have an excuse, really. He should've checked on Sasuke himself sooner, if he wasn't a damn coward. He just couldn't bear to, after what he'd done, and here Sasuke was worrying over his safety. There's a shakiness to his breath like that night, shortly after he was done feeding from him. Effort being made to hold something under control that came from the human side of him, not the monster.
The next drink arrives and he stares down into it, struggling with -- something. He picks it up, then puts it back down, before reaching for it again. Just sits with it in his hand after that, stuck somewhere in feelings he can't seem to verbalize.]
....You shouldn't be worrying about me, after all that. Did you get medical attention afterward, or just deal with it yourself?
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Neither. I ended up aided the following day by other Mirrorbound, though for side effects from the full moon itself and not your actions. I wouldn't have volunteered if I couldn't have dealt with it.
Stop underestimating me just because you're irritated with yourself. It's an insult to me.
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