[OPEN] Body Snatchers

[openedthebasket]

Curious, these pieces of paper. He was reluctant to touch them, but they appeared harmless enough, even as he surveyed them with his Byakugan. Perhaps a child had been overly excited for Tanabata?

In spite of his own foreboding, he bent to pick up an ivory-white one, turning it over between his fingers. Strange...

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[openedthebasket]

"I suppose I should thank you for not wishing to go outside at this moment. I'm certain everyone would be rather baffled by my sudden change in attitude." That dry tone? That's the closest he's gotten to actual humor or a smile for almost two weeks.

[perfectcosmos]

"There, you see? People would probably think you were drunk." She tugged him gently up the stairs, tossing the keys onto the table by the upstairs door. "I was on my way to lunch, so food first."

[openedthebasket]

He continued to follow up the stairs, only trying to worm his hand free once they were safely at the top. "I assure you, I have no intentions of ever being drunk, so that is an image you will have to imagine for yourself."

He paused and glanced around. "If you would permit, I would be pleased to prepare you something, if you'll be tell me what you have and what you would wish to have."

[perfectcosmos]

She leaned in with a small smile and tapped him in the chest over the sternum. "I don't know if you have eaten recently, but that body there is hungry."

[openedthebasket]

He stared, momentarily caught staring at the sudden closeness of his own face. Strange, beyond strange.

"I have not eaten since early morning, no," he agreed, looking around again and making his way toward the kitchen. "My offer still stands, however."

[perfectcosmos]

She brushed her fingers over his shoulder and then dropped her hand. "Make something you usually like, I want to see what they taste like for you."

[openedthebasket]

He grunted again and glanced to her appraisingly. "If you have soba noodles and fish, I would prepare something of that nature. Herring would be preferable, but any kind of saltwater fish would do."

A pause.

"Or freshwater fish, if nothing else."

[perfectcosmos]

"I have all of those things." She moved around him, brushing along him lightly as she got this or that, neatly setting everything on the counter. "There you go."

[openedthebasket]

"Thank you." He waved a far-too-delicate hand for her to take a seat as he moved about the kitchen, boiling the noodles, preparing a light sauce... it was strangely calming; though the difficulty of maneuvering in her body was certainly a challenge, it was nothing insurmountable.

[perfectcosmos]

She laughed softly and complied, for the moment.

When he got closer to finished she got up and got down dishes. "You make that look elegant even while fighting with my sense of balance."

[openedthebasket]

"If I do, it is only because it is your body that I am currently using," he observed quietly. Making a meal for someone... he hadn't done that since Naruto...

The thought that his own normally so carefully controlled emotions might be more visible on her own face than on his own didn't quite register as his lips firmed into a thin line, then took the offered dishes with a nod of thanks, spooning the noodles and a healthy serving of broth over them before adding the baked fish and the sauce overtop. "Please, enjoy."

[perfectcosmos]

She knew her upset and sad face when she saw it! Before he could sit down, she circled around and pulled him into a tight hug. "You can say that, but it's just because it's you inside handsome."

[openedthebasket]

He had just set the bowls down when she grabbed him, the feeling of what must be his own arms pressing him tightly against her... it was odd. Soft, the softness on his end rather than what he was accustomed to, but...

Hands somewhat awkwardly at his sides, he blinked up to his own face, trying to decide if he wanted to frown. "What is this for?"

[perfectcosmos]

She kissed him on the nose and released him. "You looked like you needed a hug~! This looks delicious."

[openedthebasket]

A strangled, disbelieving sound at the kiss to his nose, the feeling so light that it took him several long, confused minutes to determine what it even was.

He closed his eyes against another flash of pain, then took his seat, trying to ignore it. "Something like this... is my favorite meal," he answered instead, determinedly looking to it as he picked up his chopsticks. "It is simple to make, yet nutritious."

[perfectcosmos]

She gave him a warm smile. "Then it should taste delicious on your sense of taste, right Neji-kun?"

She practically purred the words as she picked up the chopsticks, picking up the first bite.

[openedthebasket]

"One would think." He waited until she started to eat before bothering to set to it himself, trying to dismiss the way his nose kept tingling.

[perfectcosmos]

She finished rather quickly, realizing that the body felt famished as she tucked in, and it really was very good, better than it tended to taste in her body. Though, it could also have just been who cooked it too... When she finished, she put the dishes in the sink and returned to her seat, humming down a scale. Ohhh, that was a great tone.

"You have a great voice, you know that?"

[openedthebasket]

Hm... it didn't taste as good as he'd expected, but she had mentioned that they would share different tastes. In any case, he finished after her, glancing up as she returned and finishing the final bite of noodles.

"Truly? I suppose it is rather good for projecting in terms of orders or warnings."

[perfectcosmos]

"Oh it's good for more than that." Yep, she was loving that tone of voice and deliberately spoke in it, smiling across the table at him.

"But you're always too proper for that mm?"

[openedthebasket]

Acutely uncomfortable with her using his own voice on him like that, he cleared his throat and gathered his dishes, setting them in the sink and beginning to wash them. "I haven't any idea what you are talking about. Would you like anything else?"

[perfectcosmos]

"Hmm no but you'd probably be happier with a few of the tomatoes tucked on the counter." She let the affectation drop, amusement overriding it anyway. "They're good ones."

[openedthebasket]

Finding himself a knife, he retrieved one of the tomatoes and started to slice it, offering her the first one. "Thought I admit, I have never been overly fond of tomatoes... I apologize if the sense extends to you as well, right now."

[perfectcosmos]

She took it and nibbled on it. "Downside of things tasting different."

[openedthebasket]

He huffed quietly through his nose. "My most sincere apologies."

He hesitated then, in the middle of slicing the tomato again, and avoided her gaze.

"I have many things for which I must apologize to you, it seems."