bakerstreet | Take Care

Take Care

The "Take Care" Meme
a shipping meme

Life is hard. You can go through rough patches and over bumps, and sometimes it feels as though you're definitely worse for the wear, both physically and mentally. It's nice to have someone - someone more than a friend - there for you in those times...even if you don't think you want them or deserve them. But they're here, and they'll take care of you.

How to Play:
* This is a shipping meme for more tender, soft moments, but a little more serious than your usual "fluff." It's for people who've been broken down by their experience and those who wish to heal them.
* Comment with your character/your preferences. You may also want to specify whether your character will be the one "cared for" or the one doing the "caring" + pertinent information, but for most effectiveness, it's best to be open to both.
* Comment around.

Prompts
1. Know You've Been Hurt By Someone Else: There are scars left on their heart from a past relationship or fling, and you have to let them know you're not the same way.
2. Can Tell By the Way You Carry Yourself: The person you have feelings for is one of those "cold stone wall" types who pushes people away. Can you get past that?
3. I've Asked About You: You've only heard bad things about this person, but you don't believe it.
4. What's a Life with No Fun: Lighten up a bit! You'd do anything to bring a smile to their face.
5. Please Don't Be So Ashamed: You have a big, BIG secret you don't want the other person to find out about, because surely they wouldn't want to even be near you if they did.
6. I've Had Mine, You've Had Yours: You've both had problems, and it could help to compare wounds so they can begin to heal.
7. Those Lies Heal: Protecting your loved one is more important that the truth, isn't it? It's a lie, but there are good intentions here.
8. You Can't Sleep: Because of past trauma, you're having a sleepless night. Luckily, this time you have somebody to help you and give you some comfort.
9. You Cry Still: The obligatory "seeing your significant other/love cry over something and wanting to make them stop at any cost" option.
10. All Get a Little Taste: Your loved one is sick or injured - literally this time - and you're looking out for them and trying to get them better.
11. You Just Don't Know: Either through magic, torture, or blunt trauma to the head, your special person can't remember you! It's up to you to get them to remember what was between you two by showing all the ways you cared for each other.
12. I Give Her Space: Part of being a careful lover is knowing when you need to leave them alone.
13. Tryna Run from That: Uh-oh, you don't want to fall in love, because you've been there, done that! Maybe there's still time to escape from this...or maybe it's too late.
14. I Will Care for You: After a particularly rough day, you're need a little TLC. Your loved one is going to do everything for you - a bath, food, the works.
15. All the Baggage Just Ain't as Heavy: You know it will take a while for this person to mend psychologically and spiritually, and you're willing to wait.
16. Change the Pace: And the smut option. Show you care through sex.
17. We'll Just Go Slow: You're going to take things one step at a time. No need to rush and define things. Just enjoy each other's company and the healing it brings.
18. We All Have Our Nights: Your lover, because of their past experience, is having a complete breakdown. You have to bring them back from the edge.
19. You Don't Say You Love Me: You both know how you feel, but one of you is having problems saying the four letter word. That's okay, though. Your lover understands.
20. To Save You: After months or years, you've both worked on the problems and old scars and you might just be ready to start something resembling a normal love.
21. CHOOSE SOMETHING ELSE

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only | Expand All

[It had happened so quickly that none of the others in the squad were able to act. Then, when it was over, none of them were allowed to since it would give their position away. They had to watch as their comrade took his own life rather than give up the mission's details. Even if he wouldn't have talked, the enemy shinobi had their genjutsu to make him talk. It was a samurai's duty to counter such foul trickery with the ultimate sacrifice, denying the enemy their prize.

Kirito had had the best view since he was just a few feet away in his hiding spot. In that moment he had only felt pure and unadulterated rage to the point that he wanted to rush out and draw his blades and eviscerate the entire squad of ninja. He had only been stopped by his commander's strong grip on his wrist and a firm look. After that, they had brought the body back to the village for burial.

Since then, he hadn't slept. He couldn't even remember how many days it had been since he'd been given a leave of absence for a bit with the rest of the group. He had avoided everybody, even his own family. Tonight, in an attempt to preoccupy his mind, he had gone to the bounty board in the center of the village.

As his dark, sullen eyes read the list, he settled on the ones that were the most dangerous, the ones nobody would take. Then he began copying the contact information down on a small scrap of paper. It wouldn't be a comrade or anyone else from the village that died or took their own life next time -- he would make sure of that.]

[She hadn't seen Kirito in a couple weeks because of that mission. While she had her own life, her own plans, her own missions, she couldn't help but wonder what he was doing from time to time. When news reached her about a squad of samurai had lost one of their members by suicide, sacrifice, Ino couldn't help but look around desperately for Kirito.

So when she spots his messy head of black hair at the board she feels an intense wave of relief. A hand presses to her chest and she exhales in a heavy sigh, her heart now back in her chest instead of dropped to her stomach. Thank goodness, at least he was okay. That meant someone else lost their life though so she's still plenty somber about it.

Well, it wouldn't be good to act gloomy in front of other people. Especially Kirito. She should just greet him as she normally does -- teasing and lighthearted. A little in your face. So she sneaks up behind him quietly to surprise him.

Oh. He's signing up for another mission? That's normal. Maybe he should have a break if he was on the squad that lost a person though. She knows how tough loss is, even for someone you barely know. However there is a pattern with these missions he's signing for -- solo, S-rank, dangerous. Suicidal, basically. Her heart drops to her stomach all over again, heavy in her gut:]

What... are you doing?

[Said dangerously soft. Though her voice is calm, there's a emotion in it. Rage, maybe. She doesn't want this to be what she thinks it is. She will actually beat the crap out of him. This isn't like being called Buta-san, this is a more intense anger that hurts her heart that's still somewhere around her feet.]

[Even if she is a ninja, he should have noticed her behind him at some point. He's very observant even when it comes to ninjas and their stealth. The fact he doesn't catch her just shows how much his mind is on everything else, and that's a dangerous way to be in their line of profession.

When he hears her, he lifts his head but keeps his eyes on the board. There's a tiny wince before he looks back down and pauses in his writing before glancing over his shoulder so that only his eyes are visible, the rest of his face hidden by his fur-lined collar.]

Hah? This is the place where someone can get a bounty mission, right? That's what I'm doing.

[He's not stupid. It's obvious by her dangerous tone that she was asking about why he was taking such missions. He avoids that question, however, redirecting it in his own way. Why should he tell her he doesn't care what happens to himself when the village doesn't really care either. Why would she care?]

[She doesn't like that face he's making, that look. How he can't even turn to face her before he's looking back at the board. So she narrows her eyes and steps forward to get between him and that board. Her hand shoves at his chest, pushing him away.]

I said, what are you doing?

[She rips down one of the missions from said board and thrusts the paper in his face.]

Solo mission, S-rank? You know that these are! Suicide missions! Are you out of your mind? Why are you signing up for these?

Edited 2015-02-07 02:24 (UTC)

[To be honest, he knows her well enough to know she'll make some sort of dramatic interruption. Still, he doesn't react much as she pushes at him and gets between him and the board. He just looks at her after reading the paper she shoves in his face. Yes, he knows it's a suicide mission. That's one reason he picked it. He knows he can complete it, so why should he let someone else do it when they will probably die?]

Mhh...?

[He doesn't look to her much. His dark eyes stay on the paper as he slowly shrugs and turns to leave. Ino is too much for him to deal with right now, so he starts to walk from her.]

They're the missions worth the most money.

[He's not getting away. Her hand reaches out and grabs his wrist after he's only taken a step. Ninja reflexes wasn't just a saying -- Ino was quick. She wants to demand why instead of ask it. He knew he lost her sensei and her dad, didn't he? Why would he do this to her? It wasn't like they were dating or anything or did much but hang out every now and then but still...

Still if she cried over the idea of losing Sasuke she sure as hell was going to cry over Kirito. Her eyes glass over but she bites her lip so it doesn't quiver. She shakes her head, her blonde ponytail whipping.]

If you need money, I'll give some to you! I'll work more shifts at the hospital and I'll take more missions if you need money that bad, okay!? Don't take these missions!

Only people who want to die or have nothing to live for sign up for these.

[Since he can't leave, he turns his head from her. It's easy to hear the emotion in her voice. Shinobi were supposed to be emotionless, weren't they? It's different from the passion a samurai is supposed to live their lives with, the type of emotion that makes so many samurai into warrior-poets. Shinobi were supposed to be cold tools of warfare.

Yet Ino is nowhere near that. She's the most unique shinobi he's ever met.]

Dying for the village is an honorable thing, isn't it? But I'm not going to die. They're just missions, Ino-San.

[It's true, out of a lot of the rookies Ino was emotional. But he's met Lee and she guesses he's met Naruto too. Sakura could be emotional when she wasn't faking her smiles. Still, out of all the shinobi Ino was a rare gem in many ways.]

I don't want you to die even if it's for the village!

[It's a selfish thing to say but she thinks she's allowed to say it now. For this one thing, she can be selfish. Right? If she knows what it's like to experience loss like she has, it's okay. Nobody would blame her.]

I would never, ever, ever, ever forgive myself if I let you go alone and you didn't come back! Even if you say you're not going to die, you don't know that! If anything, you should know that there's always a chance you could die when you take a mission.

If you go, I'm going with you. I don't care if it's a solo mission and you're going to die. I won't let you go alone. And you know if I go, Shikamaru and Chouji are going to come too. Sakura might as well, and then you have Naruto and Lee on her heels. So then Tenten and Hinata are coming. If Hinata is going, Kiba and Shino are definitely tagging along.

[Her arms fold and it's not just a stubborn action as it is to keep herself together too.]

So you might as well give up.

[She's stubborn, that's for sure. That's another thing that strikes him about her. The way she argues makes it impossible to counter since she is so aggressive and forward, like her logic is the only thing that matters. He could pick holes in it like he does with everybody's, but now is not the time for that.

After all, she genuinely cares, it seems. Even his own logic doesn't matter if she makes it seem like she cares.

Still, he doesn't feel very happy about things.]

You're going to monitor me at all times to make sure I don't leave then? That's not plausible. What does it matter, Ino-san? I go on missions all the time.

Not like these missions!

[It matters because... because it's him. That's all she can think of as a reason. Because thinking and imagining of what it would be like without him calling her Buta-san with that teasing look in his eye. If she couldn't seem him blush so brightly when she grabbed his arm or jumped on his back playfully. Imagining her life without that was painful.

And being a shinobi was full of painful, messy things that leave you broken and trying to put yourself back together. The rookies had gone through their share of pain and despair but Ino doesn't want that anymore. She would fight with everything she had to keep the people she cares about.]

I don't care if it's not plausible, I'll do it! I'm a sensor ninja, don't think I can't if I put my mind to it.

Now come on, we're going to spar. You can work out your cool samurai type feelings on me. I kind of want to beat you around a little anyway for thinking you can die on me.

[Her stubbornness is almost frustrating. Normally he's embarrassed, shy, or awkward around her. Right now he feels borderline frustrated. Why does it matter so much? If he had been able to act, he would have saved his comrade. Instead, he had to stay hidden for the mission. He couldn't save just one person, so why does it matter what happens to him so much?

Why is Ino so stubborn about it?]

Ah? You want to beat me up but you don't want me to go on a dangerous mission?

[Somehow that doesn't seem right. But anyways, he sighs and looks away again, inwardly debating on whether he should just walk away again and ignore her no matter what she says. He's silent and doesn't respond, eyes trailing off once more like he's very far away and not standing next to the pretty kunoichi.]

[Doesn't he know she thinks about that kind of stuff too? Difference is she doesn't want to kill herself over it and take solo missions because she knows Shikamaru and Chouji would be useless without her. Who would tease Sakura? Who would be the pretty kunoichi of the village? Who would be the flower girl?

In his case, who would be the Black Samurai. Who would annoy her with Buta-san? Nobody else got away with that. Who would she fluster and jump on? Who would make her heart beat so fast just with a soft smile that she felt like it was going to jump out of her mouth.]

I don't want to kill you. I just want to knock some sense into you.

[Not seriously kill him, anyway.

But that look in his eyes softens her anger and very obvious frustration with him.]

Kirito, why do you want to risk your life unnecessarily like that? I know you're nobody to scoff at but this seems intentional. You signed up for every mission that's S-rank, solo, and has very low survival rate.

[This is delicate so her voice softens too.]

... Did you know the samurai that died?

[There's a little wince at her questions, but he still doesn't look at her. He has to take a moment to think about which to respond to. Did he know the samurai? Yes. They were comrades and on the same squad. Kirito knew him well enough to be deeply affected when he saw him take his own life, but even if he didn't know him, he would still feel just as bad. He doesn't see the point in throwing away your hopes and dreams like that, especially when he feels like he could have done something.

Maybe he should answer that question since he doesn't want to tell her why he wants to risk his life.

Slowly, he looks over at her, face completely devoid of emotion but eyes showing a deep inner pain.]

I was five yards from him when he... when it happened. He looked at me when he did it even though the enemy couldn't see me. If I hadn't have hesitated, he would still be alive.

[It was almost a rhetorical question, in any case. She doesn't know what else that could have anybody feeling like this, she knows the signs. However she didn't know the details of that mission but when she hears it first hand from Kirito it's like a little life drains out of her. It's horrible. Even she didn't have to watch her dad or Asuma die.

The people she saw die were usually strangers in the hospital. None of that was suicide either. Was there a difference in how you lose someone though?

It still hurts. It still changes you.]

... Blaming yourself doesn't fix anything.

[She says this softly and moves her hand from his wrist to his hand.]

Believe me, I know. I thought if I was a better medical ninja I would have been able to save my sensei. I did the same thing you're doing right now too. Right after he died, I went on a mission with Shikamaru and Chouji that was the most dangerous I've ever been on. I almost died.

But it's not worth it. Everyone experiences loss in different ways but there's one thing that can help us through it -- our friends. I'm your friend, Kirito. I want to help you. You can vent that frustration on me all you want and I'll give it right back because I know how it feels to lose someone you care about.

It's okay to cry, too. It's okay to mourn but don't give up your life. I won't let you.

[Cry. Mourn. He does those things in his own way. Maybe he looks cold to everyone since he hides it under a shell, but he doesn't really care. Kirito knows his own heart and how affected he really is by all of this.

And she thinks he wants to throw his life away. It's not that, not exactly. Maybe he's reckless and such, but it's just that he'd rather it be him who dies if it means he can save people. Maybe it's a bit arrogant to think he'll be okay when his behavior is suicidal, but he doesn't know how else to be or who to go to.

Because he's trash. He couldn't save his comrade. He is trash, so who would want to be around him?

Apparently... Ino does. She's even taking his hand. His whole body visibly tenses and he pulls back a little even if his hand stays in hers.

The sullenness in his eyes is replaced by anger as he looks at the ground.]

As long as I'm alive, I won't let a single comrade die. Even if that's the way of things in this world, I won't accept it. I failed one friend already, and that makes me worthless.

[Ino knows how affected he is. He can look blank all he wants but she sees in his eyes, in his posture, in the way he wants to run and disappear.

She won't accept him thinking himself worthless though.]

Kirito!

[Since she has her hand around his anyway she pulls on it to tug him closer to her. If he stumbles, she'll catch him. If he tries to pull away again, her arms tighten around him and don't allow him to leave.]

You're wrong. You're not worthless.

[He doesn't really stumble, though he is caught off-guard by her pulling him closer. Then he tenses even more as her arms wind around him. His dark eyes go wide as he looks over her shoulder. Normally he would blush since, well, he's being hugged by a girl in public. This time, however, he is just completely confused and surprised by the whole thing. He knew Ino was a physical girl considering she was always jumping on him or grabbing his hand or touching him in all sorts of ways.

All he can do is shift, not so much as trying to get away as just trying to find some comfortable way to stand and not feel awkward.

There's a little urge to hug her back, to slide his arms around her and take her warmth selfishly. His arms even lift, hands moving higher. At the last second though he reaches for her shoulders to push her back a slight bit so he can look at her.]

Nh... Ino...? Why?

[Why? Why does she care?]

[She fights him pushing her back but in the end she relents a little so she can look up at him. The confusion on his face on why she would do this is heartbreaking, like he really does think he's worthless just because he couldn't save one person. What did that make her?

She couldn't save Asuma, she couldn't save her dad, she couldn't do anything to help Shikamaru...

Instead of falling too far into that same pit of despair she had been lost in, Ino fought back. She wants Kirito to fight back. Not give in and she'll be there to help him up, drag him back on his feet because that's what Ino does.

Kirito is a bit more special than most people though. So she answers him specially too. He's quite a bit taller than her, making her have to reach up and pull him down a little. Because she's going to kiss him. Not on the cheek this time -- her lips press against his right there in front of the bulletin board.]

That's why.

[It happens too quick for him to process. One second she's looking up at him, and then the next she's pulling him down and pressing her lips to his. It makes his body relax for just a split-second before it tightens up again. His dark eyes go even wider as his face burns. For a brief, brief moment, he doesn't think about these missions or his fallen comrade or the burning need inside of him to recklessly put himself out there over and over.

Then he's quickly pulling back from her and looking into her face. His brow furrows even as he blushes intensely, and he moves his lips as if he's about to ask "why" yet again, but he pauses and just drops his gaze downward as he thinks.

Normally he can read someone and their actions very easily, but that kiss after his question... what does that mean? Does it really mean the obvious? That she likes him? She cares for him? Or is she just kissing him to try and keep him from doing stupid things? Would she use her body against him? No, she wouldn't. Even if kunoichi are accustomed to that sort of thing, he doesn't think Ino would ever do that to him.

So he doesn't have any sort of response except the intense redness to his face. He quickly turns his back to her like he's going to leave her, but he doesn't move immediately. Then he slowly reaches behind him for her hand -- no, not her hand, just one of her fingers.]

A-Ah... can we walk for a bit?

[There's the Kirito she knows, isn't it? She can't help but be as pleased as she ever is that she can get him to blush. Too late she realizes that she had just given her first kiss to Kirito and her own cheeks warm a little. She had just been so desperate for him to know that there was someone in this world that cares about him that she'll do whatever she can to make things easier.

That she didn't think much of how her first kiss wasn't this totally romantic, swooning experience. It was certainly emotional, though.

It's too bad he pulls away, really. It was nice. Although when he turns around she can feel her eyes widen and she wonders if this is his rejection to her feelings. So when her hand -- no, her finger, what a dork -- is grabbed she looks up again at the back of his head.

Walk?]

Um, okay.

[As long as it's not a short walk off a long pier. But she's moving her hand around to better hold his and step up next to him.]

[She probably doesn't know that it's his first kiss as well. Maybe he'll tell her. For now, he just wants to go away from the bulletin board, and for the first time in a long time, he doesn't want to be alone. Ino's made it clear (he thinks) that she likes him and cares for him, at least enough to get mad at him for being reckless and also enough to kiss him like that. If that's the case, then he won't mind her company at all.

He still doesn't look at her even when she stands next to him. His face is still red as well. All he can do is clear his throat and start to walk, holding her hand as she makes the grip more natural. He doesn't have any clear destination, so he takes the first street out of the village square and walks.

And stays quiet. All he wants is her company.]

[For her part, Ino is weirdly quiet too for a long time. It's not like her to be quiet, usually, but she had her moments. She knows Kirito is going through a tough time and it's hard to decide what would be better. She decides to just be herself, even if herself is being a little more shy than usual that they've kissed now. For reals.

Actually, she wants to kiss him again. But his face is still really red so she'll refrain and just be happy he's a little more like himself. A little more happy or some variation of it. She hopes he's happy anyway, they just kissed.]

So you're not going to say anything?

[He finally glances over at her when she speaks, but he still doesn't have anything to say. Nothing immediately comes to mind, at least. It's not a situation he's accustomed to at all. Ino was always pushing his comfort zone anyways, and now she'd kissed him and made it obvious she's interested in him. At least he thinks she's interested. She cares one way or the other.]

Mh...

[They stop by a streetlamp, and he reaches up to hold his chin with his free hand. He notices how hot his face feels just from that, and he wishes the blush would just go away. After a moment to pause, he looks at her again.]

Was that a mind jutsu? Before all I could think about... was the mission. Now all I can think about is, ah, you.

[At first she stares then she lets out a long sigh and reaches up with her own free hand to rub at her temple.]

I kissed you and you think it's a mind jutsu.

[He's probably just being funny but if it was her mind jutsu he wouldn't be aware that all he can think about is Ino. He wouldn't be able to say it out loud either. Chances are she would be unconscious too.]

Here.

[She'll show him it's not a mind jutsu. And she also wants to do it again. This time she grabs a handful of his shirt and tugs. It's a much more smooth, confident action than her first of grabbing his face and guiding him down. Now she's got a bit more flair to it.

Once his face, his lips, are at a spot she can reach she kisses him again and then lingers there. If it keeps him from thinking about the mission then that's good.]

[Well, he knows what her specialty is. He also knows his mind was racing about the mission and what he wanted to do about it. Then she kissed him and that all seemed to fade away mostly. It could also be the fact that she made her feelings clear, that she cared about him. She told him he wasn't worthless. Maybe that's the reasoning behind his change of mind.

Or it's a jutsu. Either way...

But she kisses him again and he can't think of anything other than how soft her lips feel and how she tastes. His observant mind is busy picking out those details. He should probably be thinking of other things or trying to return the kiss, but he's analyzing every bit at first.

Then he reaches up with his free hand, holds the back of her head, and pushes his lips more deeply against hers as he leans down to meet her halfway so she doesn't have to stretch up so much.]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

love love sorry

<3

<3333

Re: <3333

Re: <3333

Re: <3333

Re: <3333

Re: <3333

Re: <3333

Re: <3333

Re: <3333

Re: <3333

Re: <3333

Re: <3333

Re: <3333

Re: <3333

Re: <3333