endless_scrolls (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
endless_scrolls) wrote2010-03-18 12:54 pm
endless_scrolls) wrote2010-03-18 12:54 pm
Entry tags:
Log: RM No Good Deed
Title: No Good Deed
Type: RP log
Fandom: AU!Naruto
Character(s): Tenten, Rin
Pairing(s): None
Warning(s): None
Disclaimer: I own only the part that I played in this.
Note: Log originally posted March 18, 2010 for the![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
red_moon_comm RP comm.
Dedicated to: ...I don't know, Rin~?
Scent was always the first thing that took hold once entering the dark shop. Even before her eyes ever adjusted to the dimmer lighting inside -- before the soft ding of the bell over the door signaled her entrance -- there was always the strong scent of cinnamon, ginger, or some other spice lingering at the front of the store. Then again, the smell of herbs was a hard thing to mask, unrelenting as they sometimes tended to be. It was part of the medicinal properties of home remedies, after all, being able to breathe in the unique blends and clear the senses enough for them to work when the tea was imbibed. Or so they say. Tenten never really much understood the stock behind simply breathing in a mixture.
But then again, who was she to question tradition? Especially when she was standing there now behind the walls of the herbalist shop with the intent of garnering ingredients for her own home remedies.
They had been helpful on a number of occasions, if only by belief alone that such things would work better than traditional medicines. And were especially beneficial when her own prescriptions were simply not enough. Because injury and discomfort were constant concerns. Part of the job description, they had said. And a single person could only take pain medicine for so long before they became dangerously addicted. A common occurrence in the profession, she would not deny. But Tenten refused to become one of those poor souls.
So it was with a stiff nod to the owner -- after all these years, he knew her face by heart -- that the young woman strolled past the marked aisles, Past the merchandise reserved for tourists and novices and down the familiar rows in search of what she needed.
The door opened again, a short woman walking in -- not a normal customer though. She held a list in her hands and looked uncomfortable to be in this place. She looked around the place as she stepped in, the strong odors so different than what she was used to. Her gait lacked grace as she walked towards the counter, hoping to get some help there. With a soft voice, and a definite show of not knowing what she was doing, she held out the paper and said, "My father sent me for some item?"
The owner nodded, pointing out which of the items were things he would get prepared, and gesturing to where Tenten was for the rest of the items. Then he said, "I didn't know his daughter was in town. How is he doing?" Obviously her father was enough of a 'regular'
"He's comfortable." Anytime someone said someone was 'comfortable', it was never good. The man just nodded though and in a soft voice went to prepare a few things as Rin walked over to the assortment and things, guided by her paper and the owner's directions.
Busying herself with the search, she did not bother to turn her head at the ding of the door. It was an entrance that reserved little attention from Tenten's part. Because their business here did not concern her, despite overhearing the conversation she had with the owner. If there was one thing that the young woman learned from working with either of the Uchiha factions, it was that you minded your own business. That, and the common sense to know when to step in if it did, equated to staying alive long enough to mentor others on surviving in the lifestyle. And perhaps scrounging together enough of a living of your own to be content.
Because this was more than just a job.
So throughout the entire exchange, she had remained oblivious and uncaring. And remained so when it looked as if the new arrival was headed in Tenten's direction. Instead, the young assassin picked up a bit of the Lobelia between her fingers.
Rin knelt down to get something off a lower shelf, frowning as she did. She sniffed at it. Her nose wrinkled a little as she started to put some into a small bag that was provided and mark down exactly what it was. The next thing on her list she looked around and then asked the woman near her, "Excuse me, but you don't see the Corydalis. The man behind the counter said it was over here?" She wasn't sure, and she didn't like the fact she was buying herbal painkillers and then mixing them with extremely potent narcotics.
Her voice was unsure as she asked, and tinted with worry.
It was like any other day, really. Very much like how things generally happened at the grocery store when two people were occupying the same block of shelf space in an aisle. When one person reached for an item, the other kindly stepped out of the way. And vice versa. In a way, it was like a dance of sorts, giving when the other took, and then reciprocating the motion in kind. Granted, it was hardly anything beautiful to watch. But that did not take away from the truth in the observation. Or that there was nothing particularly odd about their wordless interaction. It was just like another day at the store. The only difference was the product that they were pondering over. Where a regular food store would have stores of bread, eggs, and the like, this specialty shop hosted a fine collection of herbs and spices meant for less conventional practices.
And it was while the other had been searching that Tenten reached up for a handful of wolfberry. She paused from dropping them into the provided plastic bag, though, when the question was presented. And though it took only a moment to pull up the answer from memory, having been there enough times to know the exact location of most if not all of the herbs by heart, it did not stop her from fixing the other with a neutral gaze before answering and gesturing in the correct direction. "Right up there."
The reply of "thank you." was soft, but no less meant. Rin was completely out of her element here. She was used to just saying what she needed in pure medical terms. She didn't like new places and they made her uncomfortable. New people made her uncomfortable. These new smells made her uncomfortable. Everything about this entire place made her uncomfortable. The discomfort was starting to well up in her in a way that wasn't completely normal as she started to try not to fidget. A tendril of hair worked it's way to her mouth as she found herself subconsciously chewing on that in a nervous gesture. Even just being in a strange place this close to Tenten, the young woman seemed to be even breathing faster as she suddenly closed her eyes, concentrating on not panicking.
It was strange, really, to watch the young woman fight for control over her own body. In the few seconds that Tenten had been watching -- had been attentive and aware of the other's presence -- she had seen a complete metamorphosis of sorts. What had been nothing more than confusion that generally came with first time visits to the herbalist shop, soon turned into something more dire. Fear. Anxiety. Panic. It could not be described with just one word alone. And Tenten could hardly fathom the direct cause of it.
Granted, she had seen grown men succumb to nerves under pressure before. And with good reason. Theirs was a life that remained permanently balanced on the razor-sharp edge of death. Extreme pressure was, undoubtedly, a constant when you killed men and coveted closely guarded secrets on a daily basis. But what reason would she have to be fearful in a save haven as this?
Furrowing her brow at the thought, Tenten decided it was worth the effort to find out. "Are... you alright?"
The young woman sat down, her knees pulled tight to her chest as she kept her eyes closed. She nodded though, even as she concentrated on breathing. Having a panic attack in public was something she used to be very used to. The sensations in this place were just overwhelming. The strong scent of the herbs and others medicinal, combined with the tight feel of the shop to feel like it was suffocating her.
She swallowed, trying to calm herself down. "I need some air." She stumbled to her feet, very little grace to how she was walking as she dropped what she had gathered so far on the counter, getting a concerned look from the owner -- how long the girl's father had been coming here was something Rin didn't know, she just knew she had to get to outside. She moved through the door, leaning against the front of the door as she took great gasping breaths of the cold air.
Her first thought had been instinctual: claustrophobia. Unfounded, perhaps. But that would certainly explain the other's hesitance in entering the shop in the first place. And the anxiety that lingered around her afterwards. But this bout of panic did not start until she had posed Tenten with the question. And the elder girl had answered in kind. Which brought up the possibility of her suffering from one of a number of social phobias. Crowded areas, social settings, or just people in general. In such a scenario, it was hard to determine. And this was hardly the place to find out.
The girl was quick though. Panicked beyond reasoning, it looked as Tenten nearly fell over from her slightly knelt position when she suddenly bolted up from the floor and out of the door. Only a moment later as she held on to a self for stability and balance did Tenten recall hearing something about needing air. And then she was stepping out from the aisle just as the bell over the door dinged the other's hasty exit.
She exchanged a brief look with the shop owner, the both of them seeming to have the same thought pass between them before both sets of eyes shifted back to the door. And the silhouette of the young woman outlined in the glass window. She would not be going far. Not with the whole of her ingredients scattered haphazardly across the counter. Obviously she was in need of them, otherwise why even enter in the first place. Still, it was a slow and cautious trek across the store towards the entrance as Tenten thought to give the young woman a few minutes to calm herself before she lightly tapped on the glass that stood between them and pose her question again. "Are you... alright, miss?"
Rin was taking deep breaths, needing to catch her breath. She nodded, still looking pale. "Sorry." She wasn't going to explain that she was suddenly reminded of something she had smelt before. That she had got a wisp of some scent, some flower or plant, she wasn't sure which and couldn't let her mind wander to there, that reminded her of that day her life changed. It had been so long since she had felt that bad. The panic was being shoved down though, years of developing coping strategies came into play as she looked over at Tenten. "I'm sorry." She bit at her lip and turned back towards the door, ready to walk back into the place.
Her shoulders were straightened as she walked in, fighting down the urge to just walk away and not deal with this. She hated when she was weak like that, she hated it with all she had, but ... even after all these years, she couldn't help it. She didn't know how to deal with such things socially, instead just apologizing both to Tenten as well as the store owner. She managed to get back into the store, but that aisle that was so crowded and contained whatever it was that had reminded her, that was ... she wasn't ready yet. She looked down at her piece of paper, crossing off what she had and what she hadn't gotten and feeling like everyone was looking at her, and ... unfortunately, such things tended to be true for all the wrong reasons.
It was a textbook 'deer caught in the headlights' look. Tenten had seen enough of them to know the expression by heart. Had caused a number of them herself for the sake of duty and completing what was expected of her. -- For the good of the organization. -- But while she had merely smiled and laughed in the face of their suffering, there was just something wholly pathetic and desperately raw about how the young woman leaned against the glass like a anchor. A lifeline to reality. How her chest heaved with each seemingly labored breath while they brought her closer and closer back from the brink of insanity. For her, Tenten felt a tiny whisper of sympathy.
Then again, she had always had a soft spot for suffering women.
The apology was easily brushed aside -- Why the hell was she apologizing for that? -- just as easily as it was for Tenten to take note of the growing anxiety that reformed on the young woman's face at the prospects of going back into that aisle and gathering the rest of the ingredients scribbled in that list of hers. It was not that she was looking for the signs. It was certainly hard not to see the gleam of dread in the other's eyes while she glanced back and forth between the scrap of paper in her hands and the row of herbs and spices the both of them had been occupying not minutes before.
Thus Tenten's impulses got the better of her.
Tenten knew where most every ingredient that the store carried and its location. It would be a brief trip around the shop to find every item on the list. And obviously, she had no problems concerning the who or what was housed under the shop's roof. And it was with that train of logic that she grabbed the slip of thin paper from the other's hands and began her search, not a single word being uttered to the other of her intentions. The girl had eyes, surely she would figure it out soon enough.
Rin stood there, watching as Tenten did the gathering of ingredients. Almost all of them involved remedies for inflammation, pain killing, or simply things to sleep. While Tenten gathered the items, the store owner had the other items finished up for her. Rin stood there awkwardly, shifting and a little uncertain as she waited, but she did let Tenten help her out.
Of course, with Tenten's familiarity and lack of hesitation, the items were gathered much quicker than Rin would have been able to get them. She simply stood next to the counter, waiting. It was easier there -- she didn't have to be confined and she could see the escape path through the front door. As the items were gathered, Rin started to relax a little.
Not a single glance was spared while she moved to gather the items scrawled across the slip of paper, mentally marking them off from the list as she continued along. None were necessary, although it did not keep Tenten's mind from occasionally wandering towards thoughts of the other girl. It was clear that she was not too fond of social interaction. Panicked in the face of it. Why give her more reason to run out clutching and pulling her hair at the madness? None of them would be able to return to their usual routine that way.
At least that was the reason she told herself after bagging the last of the herbs on the list and making her way towards the counter. That was all the reason she needed.
"Here," the young woman mumbled, shoving a basket of roots into the other's hands. And with a resounding slap, slammed the scrap of parchment on the counter for the other to look over and double check on her own if she wished. If she was the sort of person that Tenten believed her to be. Because no one in this world could possibly be so gullible and naive trusted in the kindness of a complete stranger without some suspicion.
Looking through the items would be the intelligent option, however, Rin had no idea what exactly she was looking at. Thus she simply assumed the items were right. "Thank you very much." he bowed her head slightly to the other, more relaxed now that the need to go through those isles was over. "That was most kind of you." She often over did the formality when she was forced to interact. Her eyes glanced over to the shop owner. Hoping that he would ring her up as quickly as possible -- never mind that way to many of those herbs were for painkillers. It was near obvious they were not for her -- whoever they were for, must be in some serious pain.
Mixing home remedies was a dangerous business if one did not know the proper ways to blend the ingredients. Bad things tended to happen when you did not know what reacted well with what. Or which combination was a dangerous endeavour to experiment. And it had been apparent from the start that the other girl knew little to nothing about the herbs and roots she was gathering. So that only meant that someone else had asked this of her. Someone, it appeared, who needed a lot of relief from pain. An elder person, most likely, or someone suffering from lingering injuries. Because surely, this girl was not naive enough to believe that she could learn it on her own.
Again, the other's words were waved off and passed over without another thought. Formalities were not necessary with Tenten. Never really were. The act itself was done out of convenience for everyone involved. The sooner this novice of a shopper was out of the store, the quicker Tenten could go back to her routine in peace. No. The fact that she was doing the other a great favor had nothing to do with it. Certainly not...
Yeah. Right.
Looking to the side at the thought, the girl could not help but sigh. Because even she did not believe the bull her mind was serving up. Instead, Tenten turned away and started back towards the aisle she had been previously occupying, giving only a scoff to the other before leaving the counter. After all, she had her own shopping to do.
"Next time, send someone else to go," she called over her shoulder.
Rin tilted her head at the other woman as the 'parting words'. Yeah, that was what people always said. Have someone else do it. Someone else didn't always exist though. Someone else was some ideal concept. Someone else could deal with things ... Rin was done with having someone else deal though. Now she was going to deal, or keep trying. It didn't matter if she failed, she was going to keep trying.
Taking a deep breath as she handed over a card to pay for everything, she answered Tenten with, "I'll just do better next time." Little step and accepting the limitations were important, but so was the stubbornness in Rin.
Such conviction and determination could be easily heard in her tone. The way she vowed to make an improvement on her situation next. On expanding her limitations. But all Tenten could zero in on was the promise that there would actually be a 'next time.' A definite assurance that the other would return. Whether it would be with better results or not... they would have to simply wait and see. It was almost enough to make Tenten smile at the thought. Almost. The straight line of her lips remained so, although it was a small battle to keep the corners from quirking up in an actual readable expression. But there was a sort of amused crinkle to the young woman's eyes when she looked back to the woman standing at the counter.
Whether the novice herbalist saw it or not was her business.
"I'd hate to see you do any worse."
There was a small mocking air to the words, although it was more in playfulness than cruelty. Something that more than likely did not seem as such from the other's perspective. But then again, there was always the chance that she was far more perceptive than she appeared to be. All the same, Tenten remained standing where she was in the middle of the store. Waiting and watching for the other's reaction. Because this was turning out to be a very interesting game.
Rin actually felt she could have done much worse. There were many times she had done worse. In fact, running this errand and getting it actually done, even with help was a significant achievement in her mind. She was about to say something as she paid, but she was cut off by her phone ringing. Rin grabbed the phone instantly, eyes widening a little as she saw it was her father, "Daddy? Are you OK?" There was obvious concern in the girl' voice, as if the only reason that she thought her father would call. "Uh huh. Yeah, I have everything on the list. No ... No, it wasn't a problem. I promise, it's fine. It was fine. I did OK."
She nodded at whatever was said on the phone as she said, "I love you too. I'll pick up the prescriptions on the way home too." She actually smiled while talking to her father. It was rather obvious why she was getting all of these items.
Daddy. It was a word that seemed to strike Tenten hard and fast with its weight. And one she had not heard for quite some time. Of course, there had been no reason for to, not since...
But then, it all began to make sense, now. Why she would go out of her own comfort zone. Why this young woman would actively place herself into a compromising position of suffering. It was all for the one man she loved the most in the world. The person that she would always love most. Because the relationship between a father and his little princess was a bond that was unbreakable for most. Sometimes enough to transcend life and death. It was clear from the tone of her voice and shift in demeanor that this woman cared very deeply for hers. And that, from her answers of assurance, he felt the same.
Inhaling deeply, Tenten watched a few seconds more, unintentionally listening to what should have been a private conversation. A familiar conversation. But as the air flowed smoothly out of her lungs, reality settled back in and rationale moved to the forefront of her conscious. This game was not fun any more. Playing it any further would only bring about things she rather not face. So it was with a minute tilt of her chin downward and a brief moment of calm breath that she addressed the other, keeping her tone fairly neutral for the most part. "Well, I see you have everything under control now so I'll go on about my business."
With a polite nod, Tenten made to take her leave. But not without making at least one last remark, almost as an afterthought. "You should take better care of yourself in the future." Because you are not the only one who suffers... "I would hate for something like this to happen again."
Rin closed her eyes for a moment as she nodded. She didn't say that there was every possibility she wouldn't have to make this trip again -- she had purchased several months worth of the herbs that her father wanted. There was every probability that she had bought what for the man would be a lifetime supply.
She nodded to the other woman though as she gathered up the bag from the shop keeper, once again thanking her, "Thank you for your assistance." She wanted to get out of there, not for any panicking reasons this time, but just because she was exhausted from having panicked. After the errands she still had to do, she would probably take a nap.
Type: RP log
Fandom: AU!Naruto
Character(s): Tenten, Rin
Pairing(s): None
Warning(s): None
Disclaimer: I own only the part that I played in this.
Note: Log originally posted March 18, 2010 for the
red_moon_comm RP comm. Dedicated to: ...I don't know, Rin~?
Scent was always the first thing that took hold once entering the dark shop. Even before her eyes ever adjusted to the dimmer lighting inside -- before the soft ding of the bell over the door signaled her entrance -- there was always the strong scent of cinnamon, ginger, or some other spice lingering at the front of the store. Then again, the smell of herbs was a hard thing to mask, unrelenting as they sometimes tended to be. It was part of the medicinal properties of home remedies, after all, being able to breathe in the unique blends and clear the senses enough for them to work when the tea was imbibed. Or so they say. Tenten never really much understood the stock behind simply breathing in a mixture.
But then again, who was she to question tradition? Especially when she was standing there now behind the walls of the herbalist shop with the intent of garnering ingredients for her own home remedies.
They had been helpful on a number of occasions, if only by belief alone that such things would work better than traditional medicines. And were especially beneficial when her own prescriptions were simply not enough. Because injury and discomfort were constant concerns. Part of the job description, they had said. And a single person could only take pain medicine for so long before they became dangerously addicted. A common occurrence in the profession, she would not deny. But Tenten refused to become one of those poor souls.
So it was with a stiff nod to the owner -- after all these years, he knew her face by heart -- that the young woman strolled past the marked aisles, Past the merchandise reserved for tourists and novices and down the familiar rows in search of what she needed.
The door opened again, a short woman walking in -- not a normal customer though. She held a list in her hands and looked uncomfortable to be in this place. She looked around the place as she stepped in, the strong odors so different than what she was used to. Her gait lacked grace as she walked towards the counter, hoping to get some help there. With a soft voice, and a definite show of not knowing what she was doing, she held out the paper and said, "My father sent me for some item?"
The owner nodded, pointing out which of the items were things he would get prepared, and gesturing to where Tenten was for the rest of the items. Then he said, "I didn't know his daughter was in town. How is he doing?" Obviously her father was enough of a 'regular'
"He's comfortable." Anytime someone said someone was 'comfortable', it was never good. The man just nodded though and in a soft voice went to prepare a few things as Rin walked over to the assortment and things, guided by her paper and the owner's directions.
Busying herself with the search, she did not bother to turn her head at the ding of the door. It was an entrance that reserved little attention from Tenten's part. Because their business here did not concern her, despite overhearing the conversation she had with the owner. If there was one thing that the young woman learned from working with either of the Uchiha factions, it was that you minded your own business. That, and the common sense to know when to step in if it did, equated to staying alive long enough to mentor others on surviving in the lifestyle. And perhaps scrounging together enough of a living of your own to be content.
Because this was more than just a job.
So throughout the entire exchange, she had remained oblivious and uncaring. And remained so when it looked as if the new arrival was headed in Tenten's direction. Instead, the young assassin picked up a bit of the Lobelia between her fingers.
Rin knelt down to get something off a lower shelf, frowning as she did. She sniffed at it. Her nose wrinkled a little as she started to put some into a small bag that was provided and mark down exactly what it was. The next thing on her list she looked around and then asked the woman near her, "Excuse me, but you don't see the Corydalis. The man behind the counter said it was over here?" She wasn't sure, and she didn't like the fact she was buying herbal painkillers and then mixing them with extremely potent narcotics.
Her voice was unsure as she asked, and tinted with worry.
It was like any other day, really. Very much like how things generally happened at the grocery store when two people were occupying the same block of shelf space in an aisle. When one person reached for an item, the other kindly stepped out of the way. And vice versa. In a way, it was like a dance of sorts, giving when the other took, and then reciprocating the motion in kind. Granted, it was hardly anything beautiful to watch. But that did not take away from the truth in the observation. Or that there was nothing particularly odd about their wordless interaction. It was just like another day at the store. The only difference was the product that they were pondering over. Where a regular food store would have stores of bread, eggs, and the like, this specialty shop hosted a fine collection of herbs and spices meant for less conventional practices.
And it was while the other had been searching that Tenten reached up for a handful of wolfberry. She paused from dropping them into the provided plastic bag, though, when the question was presented. And though it took only a moment to pull up the answer from memory, having been there enough times to know the exact location of most if not all of the herbs by heart, it did not stop her from fixing the other with a neutral gaze before answering and gesturing in the correct direction. "Right up there."
The reply of "thank you." was soft, but no less meant. Rin was completely out of her element here. She was used to just saying what she needed in pure medical terms. She didn't like new places and they made her uncomfortable. New people made her uncomfortable. These new smells made her uncomfortable. Everything about this entire place made her uncomfortable. The discomfort was starting to well up in her in a way that wasn't completely normal as she started to try not to fidget. A tendril of hair worked it's way to her mouth as she found herself subconsciously chewing on that in a nervous gesture. Even just being in a strange place this close to Tenten, the young woman seemed to be even breathing faster as she suddenly closed her eyes, concentrating on not panicking.
It was strange, really, to watch the young woman fight for control over her own body. In the few seconds that Tenten had been watching -- had been attentive and aware of the other's presence -- she had seen a complete metamorphosis of sorts. What had been nothing more than confusion that generally came with first time visits to the herbalist shop, soon turned into something more dire. Fear. Anxiety. Panic. It could not be described with just one word alone. And Tenten could hardly fathom the direct cause of it.
Granted, she had seen grown men succumb to nerves under pressure before. And with good reason. Theirs was a life that remained permanently balanced on the razor-sharp edge of death. Extreme pressure was, undoubtedly, a constant when you killed men and coveted closely guarded secrets on a daily basis. But what reason would she have to be fearful in a save haven as this?
Furrowing her brow at the thought, Tenten decided it was worth the effort to find out. "Are... you alright?"
The young woman sat down, her knees pulled tight to her chest as she kept her eyes closed. She nodded though, even as she concentrated on breathing. Having a panic attack in public was something she used to be very used to. The sensations in this place were just overwhelming. The strong scent of the herbs and others medicinal, combined with the tight feel of the shop to feel like it was suffocating her.
She swallowed, trying to calm herself down. "I need some air." She stumbled to her feet, very little grace to how she was walking as she dropped what she had gathered so far on the counter, getting a concerned look from the owner -- how long the girl's father had been coming here was something Rin didn't know, she just knew she had to get to outside. She moved through the door, leaning against the front of the door as she took great gasping breaths of the cold air.
Her first thought had been instinctual: claustrophobia. Unfounded, perhaps. But that would certainly explain the other's hesitance in entering the shop in the first place. And the anxiety that lingered around her afterwards. But this bout of panic did not start until she had posed Tenten with the question. And the elder girl had answered in kind. Which brought up the possibility of her suffering from one of a number of social phobias. Crowded areas, social settings, or just people in general. In such a scenario, it was hard to determine. And this was hardly the place to find out.
The girl was quick though. Panicked beyond reasoning, it looked as Tenten nearly fell over from her slightly knelt position when she suddenly bolted up from the floor and out of the door. Only a moment later as she held on to a self for stability and balance did Tenten recall hearing something about needing air. And then she was stepping out from the aisle just as the bell over the door dinged the other's hasty exit.
She exchanged a brief look with the shop owner, the both of them seeming to have the same thought pass between them before both sets of eyes shifted back to the door. And the silhouette of the young woman outlined in the glass window. She would not be going far. Not with the whole of her ingredients scattered haphazardly across the counter. Obviously she was in need of them, otherwise why even enter in the first place. Still, it was a slow and cautious trek across the store towards the entrance as Tenten thought to give the young woman a few minutes to calm herself before she lightly tapped on the glass that stood between them and pose her question again. "Are you... alright, miss?"
Rin was taking deep breaths, needing to catch her breath. She nodded, still looking pale. "Sorry." She wasn't going to explain that she was suddenly reminded of something she had smelt before. That she had got a wisp of some scent, some flower or plant, she wasn't sure which and couldn't let her mind wander to there, that reminded her of that day her life changed. It had been so long since she had felt that bad. The panic was being shoved down though, years of developing coping strategies came into play as she looked over at Tenten. "I'm sorry." She bit at her lip and turned back towards the door, ready to walk back into the place.
Her shoulders were straightened as she walked in, fighting down the urge to just walk away and not deal with this. She hated when she was weak like that, she hated it with all she had, but ... even after all these years, she couldn't help it. She didn't know how to deal with such things socially, instead just apologizing both to Tenten as well as the store owner. She managed to get back into the store, but that aisle that was so crowded and contained whatever it was that had reminded her, that was ... she wasn't ready yet. She looked down at her piece of paper, crossing off what she had and what she hadn't gotten and feeling like everyone was looking at her, and ... unfortunately, such things tended to be true for all the wrong reasons.
It was a textbook 'deer caught in the headlights' look. Tenten had seen enough of them to know the expression by heart. Had caused a number of them herself for the sake of duty and completing what was expected of her. -- For the good of the organization. -- But while she had merely smiled and laughed in the face of their suffering, there was just something wholly pathetic and desperately raw about how the young woman leaned against the glass like a anchor. A lifeline to reality. How her chest heaved with each seemingly labored breath while they brought her closer and closer back from the brink of insanity. For her, Tenten felt a tiny whisper of sympathy.
Then again, she had always had a soft spot for suffering women.
The apology was easily brushed aside -- Why the hell was she apologizing for that? -- just as easily as it was for Tenten to take note of the growing anxiety that reformed on the young woman's face at the prospects of going back into that aisle and gathering the rest of the ingredients scribbled in that list of hers. It was not that she was looking for the signs. It was certainly hard not to see the gleam of dread in the other's eyes while she glanced back and forth between the scrap of paper in her hands and the row of herbs and spices the both of them had been occupying not minutes before.
Thus Tenten's impulses got the better of her.
Tenten knew where most every ingredient that the store carried and its location. It would be a brief trip around the shop to find every item on the list. And obviously, she had no problems concerning the who or what was housed under the shop's roof. And it was with that train of logic that she grabbed the slip of thin paper from the other's hands and began her search, not a single word being uttered to the other of her intentions. The girl had eyes, surely she would figure it out soon enough.
Rin stood there, watching as Tenten did the gathering of ingredients. Almost all of them involved remedies for inflammation, pain killing, or simply things to sleep. While Tenten gathered the items, the store owner had the other items finished up for her. Rin stood there awkwardly, shifting and a little uncertain as she waited, but she did let Tenten help her out.
Of course, with Tenten's familiarity and lack of hesitation, the items were gathered much quicker than Rin would have been able to get them. She simply stood next to the counter, waiting. It was easier there -- she didn't have to be confined and she could see the escape path through the front door. As the items were gathered, Rin started to relax a little.
Not a single glance was spared while she moved to gather the items scrawled across the slip of paper, mentally marking them off from the list as she continued along. None were necessary, although it did not keep Tenten's mind from occasionally wandering towards thoughts of the other girl. It was clear that she was not too fond of social interaction. Panicked in the face of it. Why give her more reason to run out clutching and pulling her hair at the madness? None of them would be able to return to their usual routine that way.
At least that was the reason she told herself after bagging the last of the herbs on the list and making her way towards the counter. That was all the reason she needed.
"Here," the young woman mumbled, shoving a basket of roots into the other's hands. And with a resounding slap, slammed the scrap of parchment on the counter for the other to look over and double check on her own if she wished. If she was the sort of person that Tenten believed her to be. Because no one in this world could possibly be so gullible and naive trusted in the kindness of a complete stranger without some suspicion.
Looking through the items would be the intelligent option, however, Rin had no idea what exactly she was looking at. Thus she simply assumed the items were right. "Thank you very much." he bowed her head slightly to the other, more relaxed now that the need to go through those isles was over. "That was most kind of you." She often over did the formality when she was forced to interact. Her eyes glanced over to the shop owner. Hoping that he would ring her up as quickly as possible -- never mind that way to many of those herbs were for painkillers. It was near obvious they were not for her -- whoever they were for, must be in some serious pain.
Mixing home remedies was a dangerous business if one did not know the proper ways to blend the ingredients. Bad things tended to happen when you did not know what reacted well with what. Or which combination was a dangerous endeavour to experiment. And it had been apparent from the start that the other girl knew little to nothing about the herbs and roots she was gathering. So that only meant that someone else had asked this of her. Someone, it appeared, who needed a lot of relief from pain. An elder person, most likely, or someone suffering from lingering injuries. Because surely, this girl was not naive enough to believe that she could learn it on her own.
Again, the other's words were waved off and passed over without another thought. Formalities were not necessary with Tenten. Never really were. The act itself was done out of convenience for everyone involved. The sooner this novice of a shopper was out of the store, the quicker Tenten could go back to her routine in peace. No. The fact that she was doing the other a great favor had nothing to do with it. Certainly not...
Yeah. Right.
Looking to the side at the thought, the girl could not help but sigh. Because even she did not believe the bull her mind was serving up. Instead, Tenten turned away and started back towards the aisle she had been previously occupying, giving only a scoff to the other before leaving the counter. After all, she had her own shopping to do.
"Next time, send someone else to go," she called over her shoulder.
Rin tilted her head at the other woman as the 'parting words'. Yeah, that was what people always said. Have someone else do it. Someone else didn't always exist though. Someone else was some ideal concept. Someone else could deal with things ... Rin was done with having someone else deal though. Now she was going to deal, or keep trying. It didn't matter if she failed, she was going to keep trying.
Taking a deep breath as she handed over a card to pay for everything, she answered Tenten with, "I'll just do better next time." Little step and accepting the limitations were important, but so was the stubbornness in Rin.
Such conviction and determination could be easily heard in her tone. The way she vowed to make an improvement on her situation next. On expanding her limitations. But all Tenten could zero in on was the promise that there would actually be a 'next time.' A definite assurance that the other would return. Whether it would be with better results or not... they would have to simply wait and see. It was almost enough to make Tenten smile at the thought. Almost. The straight line of her lips remained so, although it was a small battle to keep the corners from quirking up in an actual readable expression. But there was a sort of amused crinkle to the young woman's eyes when she looked back to the woman standing at the counter.
Whether the novice herbalist saw it or not was her business.
"I'd hate to see you do any worse."
There was a small mocking air to the words, although it was more in playfulness than cruelty. Something that more than likely did not seem as such from the other's perspective. But then again, there was always the chance that she was far more perceptive than she appeared to be. All the same, Tenten remained standing where she was in the middle of the store. Waiting and watching for the other's reaction. Because this was turning out to be a very interesting game.
Rin actually felt she could have done much worse. There were many times she had done worse. In fact, running this errand and getting it actually done, even with help was a significant achievement in her mind. She was about to say something as she paid, but she was cut off by her phone ringing. Rin grabbed the phone instantly, eyes widening a little as she saw it was her father, "Daddy? Are you OK?" There was obvious concern in the girl' voice, as if the only reason that she thought her father would call. "Uh huh. Yeah, I have everything on the list. No ... No, it wasn't a problem. I promise, it's fine. It was fine. I did OK."
She nodded at whatever was said on the phone as she said, "I love you too. I'll pick up the prescriptions on the way home too." She actually smiled while talking to her father. It was rather obvious why she was getting all of these items.
Daddy. It was a word that seemed to strike Tenten hard and fast with its weight. And one she had not heard for quite some time. Of course, there had been no reason for to, not since...
But then, it all began to make sense, now. Why she would go out of her own comfort zone. Why this young woman would actively place herself into a compromising position of suffering. It was all for the one man she loved the most in the world. The person that she would always love most. Because the relationship between a father and his little princess was a bond that was unbreakable for most. Sometimes enough to transcend life and death. It was clear from the tone of her voice and shift in demeanor that this woman cared very deeply for hers. And that, from her answers of assurance, he felt the same.
Inhaling deeply, Tenten watched a few seconds more, unintentionally listening to what should have been a private conversation. A familiar conversation. But as the air flowed smoothly out of her lungs, reality settled back in and rationale moved to the forefront of her conscious. This game was not fun any more. Playing it any further would only bring about things she rather not face. So it was with a minute tilt of her chin downward and a brief moment of calm breath that she addressed the other, keeping her tone fairly neutral for the most part. "Well, I see you have everything under control now so I'll go on about my business."
With a polite nod, Tenten made to take her leave. But not without making at least one last remark, almost as an afterthought. "You should take better care of yourself in the future." Because you are not the only one who suffers... "I would hate for something like this to happen again."
Rin closed her eyes for a moment as she nodded. She didn't say that there was every possibility she wouldn't have to make this trip again -- she had purchased several months worth of the herbs that her father wanted. There was every probability that she had bought what for the man would be a lifetime supply.
She nodded to the other woman though as she gathered up the bag from the shop keeper, once again thanking her, "Thank you for your assistance." She wanted to get out of there, not for any panicking reasons this time, but just because she was exhausted from having panicked. After the errands she still had to do, she would probably take a nap.