(this is a serious commitment and that's been on his mind for some time, but to hear how it's affecting sasuke makes him understand why their conversation earlier got twisted up.
maybe, in time, he'll feel like he doesn't have to provide explanations for the way he experiences his emotions, or for putting them on someone who welcomes them. jonas knows he won't be ready for everything, it'd be impossible to think otherwise, but their closeness nowβthis intimate discussion separated only by distanceβmakes his jaw tighten with a willingness to try. worst case scenario, if they happen to shoulder too much too soon, they can annul.
there are options. they don't have to go this alone. they have each other.
i've got you, jonas. and youβve got me.
jonas swallows thickly against the swell of disappointment and focuses on steadying his voice. he won't let anything touch this moment, angrily defensive over it in a way he's never been. this is their time, thankful for sasuke's stolidity now... even if it's only a thin veneer.)
Yeah, you too. (murmured, eyes cast low.)
We'll take it all in stride, okay? There's gonna' be an... adjustment period for both of us, and it'll probably be a big one. But I will let you know if I get overwhelmed, or need a break. (god forbid, but jonas has to communicate that he's ready to listen if they meet any snags in their bond. that'll be crucial moving forward, as it would be in any relationship.) It can't be easy for you to say any of this... it isn't for me, either. So you can do the same, alright?
(and with all that said and done,) When would be... good for you?
(it may be immature, but he needs to practice before saying "ceremony" aloud.) We could hang soon, hash through some of the details, and... plan for after that?
[ Lips part to try to give more warnings, slap more labels on himself in preparation for this, for Jonas, not because he now wants to avoid it or thinks Jonas is incapable but because he doesn't want to disappoint him. But... he's committed. They both are, in spite of their stuttering start.
Jonas seems to struggle with his wording as much as Sasuke had and it at least makes it easier for him to accept their similarities, even if the hurdles they fall at are different β severity is Sasuke's strength, openness is Jonas's. Together? Maybe they can help one another. ]
I'm available tomorrow if you want to meet up then. I was planning to come by anyway; I have broccoli. [ Why. ] As for the ceremony itself, I can ensure that it's discreet. Too many of the people here see a need for public celebration but I don't want that. If you do... I'll only tolerate it.
(puts an arm around eddie before rising from his seat to pace a little, happier to move around the room. he likes to stay preoccupied and it helps with the overall strangeness of it all. a bonding ceremony. officiated by someone. if he brings up that that sounds suspiciously like marriage, could he make it light enough to laugh about it with sasuke?
better not chance it right now. maybe tomorrow over broccoli.)
Sorry, I meant to say that I want it to be private... this is our thing. Everyone else can stay home.
I'm pretty pumped for broccoli night, though. (first leeks, now more veggies? sasuke's already been taking care of him. it won't be some huge, unmanageable change, will it? some things won't differ at all.) If I have any questions I can ask then, right? I'll need to think of a few. Right now I'm just kinda'... taking it all in. Letting it all ruminate.
[ Maybe it says something about his own past that the marriage comparison has yet to come to him. This is an exchanging of energy, a pledge, and a solidification of friendship. Something that he'd experience with someone like Naruto. How could that ever be considered to be romantic? ]
Another mention of Jesus...
You can ask whenever you like, though it's good we have the same preferences so far. As for me... I want to know about your reservations. What I can do to ease them, if anything. If you want to wait to discuss that too, we can.
("another" mention? is he saying it too often? jonas can't remember the first time sasuke asked about it, squinting dumbly at the wall.
he'll leave sasuke to clarify, but a more important ask's been made.)
It's all good, I don't mind. I guess the main thing for me is like, sleep schedules? And what'll happen during. That'll wind up needing the most focus, but I don't want to presume. (someone with as much life experience as sasuke has to lie awake at night, he doesn't need anyone to tell him that that's the way things are. he's heardβand walked in onβa few of stiles' night terrors, so he's vaguely familiar with how little rest his friends actually get.) You mentioned memories... you don't sleep well either, right? I can, but I've had nightmares lately. Especially after the leyline.
My mood itself is pretty stable, though. I went to a lot of therapy to learn how to calm down and, uh, it's gotten easier for me to do that. I'd even consider myself a generally chill dude most of the time.
Otherwise, (here he takes a second, formulating the best way to put this,) I've never beenβΒ just being really close with someone is gonna' be hard. I've never done anything like this before, like, nothing remotely similar. I'mβΒ I'm pretty nervous about it, I guess.
"Jesus". Before, youβ well, it's been some time. You told me you weren't in the mood to explain Jesus to me, so I let it go until you were. [ Right. Because Jonas has been struggling with how to talk about Jesus for three months, and hasn't just forgotten the entire thing like a normal person. Of course. ]
The memories are something I've read become more prevalent as the bond deepens. We may not have to deal with it right away, so we can focus on the actual sleep schedules first. Usually I keep my sleep intermittent... but that's been more difficult lately. [ More due to declining health than the cycle required of vampires, but both are going to become bigger problems before they lessen. ] I can't control my dreams. But I can work with you on rest.
[ A simple, tangible goal. Easier for him to talk about than what Jonas brings up next, hesitating when he expresses a quiet unease that Sasuke himself also feels. It's comforting, at least, to not be the only one. He even opens his mouth to say as much before closing it. One step at a time. ] I understand. The best we can do right now is try to prepare each other for what we might feel or see so that there are fewer surprises.
Oh. Did I? (well that sure doesn't sound like him, but if sasuke says it's true then it must be.) I really don't mind explaining. Jesus was like a... spiritual leader and teacher, andβdepending on who you askβthe son of God. One of Earth's gods.
I went to church a lot with mom on Sundays. She was Methodist, which is a type of religion, and actually really devout. Methodists believe God was in the world as Jesus. So that's where my beliefs come from, I guess. Though, I'm less about the figures and more about the morals.
Taking his name in vain like I do all the time is considered in pretty poor taste. I still do it anyway, becauseβ
...
Uh, I feel like it. My version of Jesus would be chill with it.
That all sounds good to me, (jonas starts up, undeterred by how much he's been babbling, comfortable enough with sasuke that he simply keeps on going,) and we can keep checking in on one another. I mean, we're gonna' feel when the other person's having a hard time with certain things. It'll definitely be... like, super easy to communicate.
(though he's nervous, there's an excitement in the pit of his stomach that's been sitting there like a rock. it doesn't flit around like a bunch of uneasy butterflies, just bides its time and waits for the right time to make his teeth chatter with a strange output of adrenaline. not today, nerves. not today.)
I feel better about everything... after talking to you. I know I sound like a broken record, but... thanks, man.
[ He listens patiently to a description he has trouble piecing together, picking up individual details that seem to refuse to mesh together in any kind of cohesive manner. ]
Then... God is the name of a god. [ First of all, highly creative. But this is the religion of Jonas's mother and in some respects, of Jonas himself. He's not here to mock it, just to understand it. ] And Jesus is the name of his son who was possessed by the spirit of his father. Later, I'll listen to more of what you have to say about his teachings.
For now... you have nothing to thank me for, but you're welcome. It's good that you brought this up as early as you did.
I'm accustomed to pushing myself to my limits, but this time it runs a greater risk. For me, for you... for Stiles. For all of those around us. And without remembering that I might have let things go too far. You're the one I should thank. [ It was Jonas who made himself vulnerable first, after all, and Sasuke and Stiles who were too reluctant to do the same. How can a person like that be a bad choice for a bond? ]
... that breakdown makes it sound about as weird as it is, so, yeah. Preeetty much. (maybe god just wanted to live vicariously through his son, like a hockey mom. god, the hockey mom.) Some of it's overly complicated. I like the simple bits and try to live by them. Keyword "try."
(the third and eighth protestant commandments are very, very difficult for him to remember.)
You're usually so set in your ways, I didn't know whether or not you'd come around. I... kinda'... panic-adopted an iguana because of it. Which makes me honestly glad you took time to consider things. Rushing yourself's never a good idea either.
[ "I'm not set in my ways", he thinks to counter, but there's something far more pressing to address than his own advanced denial and other myriad issues. ]
An iguana. [ More than religion, more than a chance for him to self-reflect and upend his entire life, his focus settles here. ]
(chuckles into the receiver, before crossing to his bed to lay the iguana down on his comforter.)
I'll do you one better. (the only warning before video's flicked on to show jonas checking the camera with a vacant look that clears the moment he's sure it's connected. he doesn't do too many of these, surprisingly, offering a parting salute to the watch before the world spins to reveal the lizard in all his glory.
[ It takes a moment for Sasuke to realize that looking at the watch is necessary, hearing a quiet beep that signals the start of the video transmission before he's finally pulling it back to glance at its face. There's Jonas, and his own expression mirrors his with a touch more unguarded questioning. Ah... So this is what he meant.
And all too soon he's being presented with Jonas's bedspread, then a clawed foot and a scaly face. Eyes narrow. Disapproving. ]
"Eddie"? I haven't heard that name before. [ But very well, here he goes. ]
(eddie snorts at the new, foreign voice, immediately bobbing his head.)
He is... acknowledging you exist. (jonas supplies, in case the movement's lost on sasuke who is then filled in on the familiar's fleeting feelings.) He feels... wary annnd hungry.
(a hand comes into view to pat warmly at the lizard's side.)
Actually, since you won't get the joke I'll just explain it to you right now: I named him after an Earth comedian, Eddie Izzard. So, like, Eddie Izzard... (trailing off, leading his friend to the punchline with a pause.) Eddie Lizard... anyway, it's the first thing I thought of.
Wary? [ His eyes narrow at the screen, trying as hard as he possibly can to read that lizard's body language from so far away. The picture is grainy, sepia, and entirely unhelpful. It's... just an iguana like any other. Damn it. Perhaps after he bonds with Jonas... ]
Eddie Izzard, [ he repeats, doing his best to be a good sport here. However... ]
... I don't understand. Is Izzard a type of lizard in your world?
(jonas laughs, charmed, resisting the urge to stifle it against the back of his hand. how quickly a mood can change. the camera's angle then drops, slowly approaching the iguana's snout. up close and personal with their new head-tilting, slow-blinking pal.)
No, no, "Izzard" is a last name. A family name. (correcting him quietly,) It's supposed to rhyme with lizard, but I'm assuming the words coming out weird. At least this is the first time the language barrier's really messed with us... except for the Gaelic writing.
[ Sasuke opens his mouth to greet Eddie yet again when he's swooped closer, feeling its necessity even if the lizard does nothing to prompt it. Blinks, maybe. Gives him a look that he codes as highly judgmental. ]
Ah. To me it rhymes with "shadow of fire". [ ... slowly, Sasuke closes his eyes. Realizing just how stupid and pointless that was, knowing it'll be translated in return for Jonas into something that very much does not rhyme. ]
If you want to know what I hear, know that you sound like a native from my world. You speak my language fluently, even if your word choice is usually impolite.
(suddenly steals the show from the lizard with a turn of his watch, staring down into it with a look of happy surprise.)
"Shadow of fire" does not rhyme with "lizard," (chuckles, which is less of a chuckle and more of a particularly manly giggle that shakes his shoulders,) that soundsβΒ you don't even know how hilarious that sounds. Does fire even have a shadow? It's light itself, it can't be the absence of it.
(little does he know how ill a rap that would've just made. killer bee, sign him up.)
You're fluent in English, too, man! You soundβ (glances to eddie, who's trying to waddle off the side of the bedβuntil scooped up and deposited in his lapβto make his great escape again,)Β huh, how would I describe it? Advanced vocab, bro.
How does Jonas sound? Those casual speech patterns suit him, hardly so aggressive and overcompensating as Naruto always tended to be when they were young but rather laidback. Teasing, like he's always slowing down his words in order to wait for the other person to get the joke. Sasuke misses most of them. It doesn't mean it isn't calming to hear. ]
You don't sound like that. [ Which... might sound like an insult from anyone else. ] Your vocabulary, that is.
"Shadow of fire" is what we call the leader of the village I'm from. There are other shadows as well. A shadow of lightning, a shadow of wind, a shadow of water... The words aren't related to lizard at all, but the first one still rhymes.
Why does everyone think I'm a total dumb-ass? (he laughs as he says it, fond of sasuke's honest reply. he knows by now not to buy into knee-jerk urges to clap back, but occasionally it's necessary to give into them.) I know big words, I've just been saving them all up for a rainy day.
Are the lightning, wind, and water shadows leaders of villages too?
We don't have anything like that, but we have a, uh... Governor. For Oregon. Her name is Kate. Kate Brown. (jonas, you're not on first name basis with governor brown.) And then we have a President, the guy who oversees the entire country, and his name's Barack Obama.
There are way too many states in America for me to list off everyone in a position of power. It's pretty hodgepodge.
[ A dumbass? Maybe in some ways he had started to think that way, though it's not a title he could ever truly apply insultingly. Not anymore. There's a quiet fondness to it he could never put into words despite his many attempts to try, and the realization that the comparison has even crossed his mind jars him from his thoughts.
The rest of Jonas's words run together and there's a painful pause when he finishes that's devoted to their reconstruction in his mind, hurriedly attempting to catch up. ]
I'll wait for that day. It's fine if it never comes. [ Words he almost allows to pass unsaid, but now's the time to practice a little openness before it's a regular requirement. ]
You don't need to list everyone, Jonas. For now understanding those in authority within your "state" and your country is enough. My village's leader is a man named Hatake Kakashi... He would be your Kate Brown. [ End me. ] The country is headed by a daimyou, though that means little to us as shinobi.
Glad you're open to me being flaky, because I, uh, don't actually have any on reserve? Annnd I'm too lazy to draw up a list. (jonas, not too versed in the subtle shifts in sasuke's expressions, misses all but the pause.
that's what he considers one of his friend's thoughtful silences, dedicated to carefully considering the words that follow.)
A scarecrow... is your leader. (that shit translated so badly. we tried so hard and got so far, but in the end it doesn't even matter.) I don't even know where to begin there, but Obama's a cool dude. A lot of people hate him because he'sβΒ well, he's not what they expected in a Presidentβespecially the rich assholes profiting off the way things are. His whole goal was to tax them, balance inequality in everyone's lifestyles (since there's a ton of people who don't even need the amount of wealth they have), and get everyone affordable healthcare.
(he has to admire a man like that. with all that's happened in his family's lives, medicare would've been important to have. they wouldn't have had to live so poorly. they could've been able to provide more comfort to his mom. they could've.)
I don't know. I don't know much about politics and... whatever the government's doing. I really hate it all.
"Balance inequality"... [ Those words sound nice. Utopian. And Sasuke swallows them with a tablespoon of salt and a hell of a lot of wariness. The background of his village is unique and he's intimately aware of that fact, but even still... power is a universally corrupting force if left unchecked, and pleasant promises are too often just that. ]
Hating it is exactly why you should keep yourself aware. I also hate that approach to things and the deceit often required by those in a position of authority. That doesn't mean it does me any service to turn a blind eye. [ Or that it does one for others in the village. Changes in leadership might have him more optimistic, but Kakashi is a creature of a bygone age just as much as he himself is. More so, even. ]
... Ka. Ka. Shi. That's his name. [ It took him this long to realize what happened. ]
I'm aware. (a bit coolly, frustrated with it just as he was back in westedge.) I'm aware of how much is sucks for me and my family, and how I can't do anything to change our circumstances. So even if I do look at it all, man, America's government's supposedly a democracy and I'm not even allowed to vote for our leaders.
I'm stuck here anyway, now. All that's just... gone.
(can't meet his eyes for a moment, choosing to pick at his bedspread with a little sigh.)
Sorry. I think the translate function's messing up, or something. Kakashi, I hear it now. (pauses, emboldening himself with their earlier promise.) Is that whose... brother you kidnapped? Or like, was that another world leader's brother?
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maybe, in time, he'll feel like he doesn't have to provide explanations for the way he experiences his emotions, or for putting them on someone who welcomes them. jonas knows he won't be ready for everything, it'd be impossible to think otherwise, but their closeness nowβthis intimate discussion separated only by distanceβmakes his jaw tighten with a willingness to try. worst case scenario, if they happen to shoulder too much too soon, they can annul.
there are options. they don't have to go this alone. they have each other.
i've got you, jonas. and youβve got me.
jonas swallows thickly against the swell of disappointment and focuses on steadying his voice. he won't let anything touch this moment, angrily defensive over it in a way he's never been. this is their time, thankful for sasuke's stolidity now... even if it's only a thin veneer.)
Yeah, you too. (murmured, eyes cast low.)
We'll take it all in stride, okay? There's gonna' be an... adjustment period for both of us, and it'll probably be a big one. But I will let you know if I get overwhelmed, or need a break. (god forbid, but jonas has to communicate that he's ready to listen if they meet any snags in their bond. that'll be crucial moving forward, as it would be in any relationship.) It can't be easy for you to say any of this... it isn't for me, either. So you can do the same, alright?
(and with all that said and done,) When would be... good for you?
(it may be immature, but he needs to practice before saying "ceremony" aloud.) We could hang soon, hash through some of the details, and... plan for after that?
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Jonas seems to struggle with his wording as much as Sasuke had and it at least makes it easier for him to accept their similarities, even if the hurdles they fall at are different β severity is Sasuke's strength, openness is Jonas's. Together? Maybe they can help one another. ]
I'm available tomorrow if you want to meet up then. I was planning to come by anyway; I have broccoli. [ Why. ] As for the ceremony itself, I can ensure that it's discreet. Too many of the people here see a need for public celebration but I don't want that. If you do... I'll only tolerate it.
Do you have any questions for me now, Jonas?
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...
(puts an arm around eddie before rising from his seat to pace a little, happier to move around the room. he likes to stay preoccupied and it helps with the overall strangeness of it all. a bonding ceremony. officiated by someone. if he brings up that that sounds suspiciously like marriage, could he make it light enough to laugh about it with sasuke?
better not chance it right now. maybe tomorrow over broccoli.)
Sorry, I meant to say that I want it to be private... this is our thing. Everyone else can stay home.
I'm pretty pumped for broccoli night, though. (first leeks, now more veggies? sasuke's already been taking care of him. it won't be some huge, unmanageable change, will it? some things won't differ at all.) If I have any questions I can ask then, right? I'll need to think of a few. Right now I'm just kinda'... taking it all in. Letting it all ruminate.
How 'bout you?
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Another mention of Jesus...
You can ask whenever you like, though it's good we have the same preferences so far. As for me... I want to know about your reservations. What I can do to ease them, if anything. If you want to wait to discuss that too, we can.
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("another" mention? is he saying it too often? jonas can't remember the first time sasuke asked about it, squinting dumbly at the wall.
he'll leave sasuke to clarify, but a more important ask's been made.)
It's all good, I don't mind. I guess the main thing for me is like, sleep schedules? And what'll happen during. That'll wind up needing the most focus, but I don't want to presume. (someone with as much life experience as sasuke has to lie awake at night, he doesn't need anyone to tell him that that's the way things are. he's heardβand walked in onβa few of stiles' night terrors, so he's vaguely familiar with how little rest his friends actually get.) You mentioned memories... you don't sleep well either, right? I can, but I've had nightmares lately. Especially after the leyline.
My mood itself is pretty stable, though. I went to a lot of therapy to learn how to calm down and, uh, it's gotten easier for me to do that. I'd even consider myself a generally chill dude most of the time.
Otherwise, (here he takes a second, formulating the best way to put this,) I've never beenβΒ just being really close with someone is gonna' be hard. I've never done anything like this before, like, nothing remotely similar. I'mβΒ I'm pretty nervous about it, I guess.
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The memories are something I've read become more prevalent as the bond deepens. We may not have to deal with it right away, so we can focus on the actual sleep schedules first. Usually I keep my sleep intermittent... but that's been more difficult lately. [ More due to declining health than the cycle required of vampires, but both are going to become bigger problems before they lessen. ] I can't control my dreams. But I can work with you on rest.
[ A simple, tangible goal. Easier for him to talk about than what Jonas brings up next, hesitating when he expresses a quiet unease that Sasuke himself also feels. It's comforting, at least, to not be the only one. He even opens his mouth to say as much before closing it. One step at a time. ] I understand. The best we can do right now is try to prepare each other for what we might feel or see so that there are fewer surprises.
1/2
I went to church a lot with mom on Sundays. She was Methodist, which is a type of religion, and actually really devout. Methodists believe God was in the world as Jesus. So that's where my beliefs come from, I guess. Though, I'm less about the figures and more about the morals.
Taking his name in vain like I do all the time is considered in pretty poor taste. I still do it anyway, becauseβ
...
Uh, I feel like it. My version of Jesus would be chill with it.
(fucking shrugs on the other end of the call.)
2/2
Where was I going with any of this?
That all sounds good to me, (jonas starts up, undeterred by how much he's been babbling, comfortable enough with sasuke that he simply keeps on going,) and we can keep checking in on one another. I mean, we're gonna' feel when the other person's having a hard time with certain things. It'll definitely be... like, super easy to communicate.
(though he's nervous, there's an excitement in the pit of his stomach that's been sitting there like a rock. it doesn't flit around like a bunch of uneasy butterflies, just bides its time and waits for the right time to make his teeth chatter with a strange output of adrenaline. not today, nerves. not today.)
I feel better about everything... after talking to you. I know I sound like a broken record, but... thanks, man.
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Then... God is the name of a god. [ First of all, highly creative. But this is the religion of Jonas's mother and in some respects, of Jonas himself. He's not here to mock it, just to understand it. ] And Jesus is the name of his son who was possessed by the spirit of his father. Later, I'll listen to more of what you have to say about his teachings.
For now... you have nothing to thank me for, but you're welcome. It's good that you brought this up as early as you did.
I'm accustomed to pushing myself to my limits, but this time it runs a greater risk. For me, for you... for Stiles. For all of those around us. And without remembering that I might have let things go too far. You're the one I should thank. [ It was Jonas who made himself vulnerable first, after all, and Sasuke and Stiles who were too reluctant to do the same. How can a person like that be a bad choice for a bond? ]
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(the third and eighth protestant commandments are very, very difficult for him to remember.)
You're usually so set in your ways, I didn't know whether or not you'd come around. I... kinda'... panic-adopted an iguana because of it. Which makes me honestly glad you took time to consider things. Rushing yourself's never a good idea either.
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An iguana. [ More than religion, more than a chance for him to self-reflect and upend his entire life, his focus settles here. ]
... a picture. Can you send me one?
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(chuckles into the receiver, before crossing to his bed to lay the iguana down on his comforter.)
I'll do you one better. (the only warning before video's flicked on to show jonas checking the camera with a vacant look that clears the moment he's sure it's connected. he doesn't do too many of these, surprisingly, offering a parting salute to the watch before the world spins to reveal the lizard in all his glory.
a very standard iguana at a healthy weight.)
This is Eddie.
1/2
And all too soon he's being presented with Jonas's bedspread, then a clawed foot and a scaly face. Eyes narrow. Disapproving. ]
"Eddie"? I haven't heard that name before. [ But very well, here he goes. ]
2/2
My name is Uchiha Sasuke.
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He is... acknowledging you exist. (jonas supplies, in case the movement's lost on sasuke who is then filled in on the familiar's fleeting feelings.) He feels... wary annnd hungry.
(a hand comes into view to pat warmly at the lizard's side.)
Actually, since you won't get the joke I'll just explain it to you right now: I named him after an Earth comedian, Eddie Izzard. So, like, Eddie Izzard... (trailing off, leading his friend to the punchline with a pause.) Eddie Lizard... anyway, it's the first thing I thought of.
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Eddie Izzard, [ he repeats, doing his best to be a good sport here. However... ]
... I don't understand. Is Izzard a type of lizard in your world?
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No, no, "Izzard" is a last name. A family name. (correcting him quietly,) It's supposed to rhyme with lizard, but I'm assuming the words coming out weird. At least this is the first time the language barrier's really messed with us... except for the Gaelic writing.
... kinda' wish I could hear what you hear.
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Ah. To me it rhymes with "shadow of fire". [ ... slowly, Sasuke closes his eyes. Realizing just how stupid and pointless that was, knowing it'll be translated in return for Jonas into something that very much does not rhyme. ]
If you want to know what I hear, know that you sound like a native from my world. You speak my language fluently, even if your word choice is usually impolite.
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"Shadow of fire" does not rhyme with "lizard," (chuckles, which is less of a chuckle and more of a particularly manly giggle that shakes his shoulders,) that soundsβΒ you don't even know how hilarious that sounds. Does fire even have a shadow? It's light itself, it can't be the absence of it.
(little does he know how ill a rap that would've just made. killer bee, sign him up.)
You're fluent in English, too, man! You soundβ (glances to eddie, who's trying to waddle off the side of the bedβuntil scooped up and deposited in his lapβto make his great escape again,)Β huh, how would I describe it? Advanced vocab, bro.
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How does Jonas sound? Those casual speech patterns suit him, hardly so aggressive and overcompensating as Naruto always tended to be when they were young but rather laidback. Teasing, like he's always slowing down his words in order to wait for the other person to get the joke. Sasuke misses most of them. It doesn't mean it isn't calming to hear. ]
You don't sound like that. [ Which... might sound like an insult from anyone else. ] Your vocabulary, that is.
"Shadow of fire" is what we call the leader of the village I'm from. There are other shadows as well. A shadow of lightning, a shadow of wind, a shadow of water... The words aren't related to lizard at all, but the first one still rhymes.
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Are the lightning, wind, and water shadows leaders of villages too?
We don't have anything like that, but we have a, uh... Governor. For Oregon. Her name is Kate. Kate Brown. (jonas, you're not on first name basis with governor brown.) And then we have a President, the guy who oversees the entire country, and his name's Barack Obama.
There are way too many states in America for me to list off everyone in a position of power. It's pretty hodgepodge.
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The rest of Jonas's words run together and there's a painful pause when he finishes that's devoted to their reconstruction in his mind, hurriedly attempting to catch up. ]
I'll wait for that day. It's fine if it never comes. [ Words he almost allows to pass unsaid, but now's the time to practice a little openness before it's a regular requirement. ]
You don't need to list everyone, Jonas. For now understanding those in authority within your "state" and your country is enough. My village's leader is a man named Hatake Kakashi... He would be your Kate Brown. [ End me. ] The country is headed by a daimyou, though that means little to us as shinobi.
Do you agree with their leadership?
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that's what he considers one of his friend's thoughtful silences, dedicated to carefully considering the words that follow.)
A scarecrow... is your leader. (that shit translated so badly. we tried so hard and got so far, but in the end it doesn't even matter.) I don't even know where to begin there, but Obama's a cool dude. A lot of people hate him because he'sβΒ well, he's not what they expected in a Presidentβespecially the rich assholes profiting off the way things are. His whole goal was to tax them, balance inequality in everyone's lifestyles (since there's a ton of people who don't even need the amount of wealth they have), and get everyone affordable healthcare.
(he has to admire a man like that. with all that's happened in his family's lives, medicare would've been important to have. they wouldn't have had to live so poorly. they could've been able to provide more comfort to his mom. they could've.)
I don't know. I don't know much about politics and... whatever the government's doing. I really hate it all.
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Hating it is exactly why you should keep yourself aware. I also hate that approach to things and the deceit often required by those in a position of authority. That doesn't mean it does me any service to turn a blind eye. [ Or that it does one for others in the village. Changes in leadership might have him more optimistic, but Kakashi is a creature of a bygone age just as much as he himself is. More so, even. ]
... Ka. Ka. Shi. That's his name. [ It took him this long to realize what happened. ]
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I'm stuck here anyway, now. All that's just... gone.
(can't meet his eyes for a moment, choosing to pick at his bedspread with a little sigh.)
Sorry. I think the translate function's messing up, or something. Kakashi, I hear it now. (pauses, emboldening himself with their earlier promise.) Is that whose... brother you kidnapped? Or like, was that another world leader's brother?
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