driftfleet | second; text

I am, yes. Actually-- I ought to be twenty-two fairly, soon, if I do my math right.

[HUH.]

How old are you, then?

It's not especially relevant. [ Eighty-seven, if we're going by his behavior. ]

When you say he's 'stronger', do you have a frame of reference to describe it? [ l o l just moving along like a dismissive asshole. ]

I do-- hang on, how old are you!

[He's younger, isn't he? Remus is starting to grin now.]

Old enough to be a war veteran.

Answer my question and do three successful push-ups and I'll answer.

Oh, I don't doubt you know what you're talking about.

[He wouldn't have listened to him if he'd come off as immature or frivolous. Remus stands, stretches, and adds:]

Seventeen? That's my guess.

[Old enough to be a war veteran, young enough that he's taken aback by someone being in their twenties. Remus kneels at Sasuke's feet again, getting ready-- but best to get this out before he can't speak, so:]

And a comparison for strength . . . well, he can take down a deer in about two blows. Mm . . . he bit through a log once, that was a hell of a thing.

[Into position, then: arms spread, arse not too high in the air, legs lean, and he starts.]

You're entitled to as many guesses as you like. [ He's content to remain as emotionless in his answer, vague and unhelpful in either confirming or denying that suspicion.

But now he's back on the other topic, mulling it over and envisioning the power necessary for something like that. ]

... I probably shouldn't have asked.

Well, I'm a wolf, I can't exactly lift a weight and tell you. Just-- a wolf, but a wolf a little more beyond than what a normal animal can do. Usually demented by bloodlust as well, which adds a bit.

[The first push-up is a go, and he bites his bottom lip to keep from groaning, because god exercise sucks. But it's not a bad push-up, for all that-- his body is held correctly, at the very least, and he starts on his second.]

[ Honestly Sasuke is doubtful of Remus's ability to succeed without his arms giving out, but that'd been the purpose behind setting him the challenge in the first place. Especially with an incentive like honesty and information. ]

You're misunderstanding what I mean. I'm not uncomfortable because of what you described or particularly disturbed by it.

Why not?

[Breathlessly said, as he lowers himself for the second one. This is hard, beyond hard, and it's a bit embarrassing, but not very. He's not good at physical things, and they both know it. But he forces himself up for the second one-- just one to go, and he's rather determined.]

[ ... well, look at that. Two down. ]

Because when I hear something like that, it just makes me want to fight him. You've made it clear that's impossible, so it does me no good.

[What the hell kind of reaction is that? Remus stares up at him, one eyebrow raised, and then falls to his elbows, knees braced on the floor. Resting, but not yet giving up.]

Why on earth would you want to fight him?

[ Sasuke stares back at him evenly for a moment or two as if not understanding the question. ]

... because you say he's strong.

And--? What, do you go around fighting everything you can find that's strong?

[HA HA AS IF, what kind of person would do that!]

I don't generally need to seek out a fight; they tend to find me. Things are different here, however, and people are peaceful.

I want to experience new challenges where and when I can. [ and win ]

[Well, put it like that and it sounds reasonable. Though it's still a fight, which is a bit stupid, honestly, but then again Sasuke is a warrior, so. Perhaps it's all right. Still sounds stupid, but Remus had been going around trying to find someone to magically spar with, so pot calling the kettle black and all.

Anyway. He finally hoists himself up again-- much harder than it was the first time-- and begins the third push-up. It is, frankly, a really shitty push-up, but he bites his bottom lip and hides a groan and completes the damn thing, so there.]

[ ... if he had a record of the worst push-ups he's ever seen in his life -- and, amazingly, he does not yet possess such a record -- this one would be vying for the coveted top position. It's slow, it's stuttering, and he's amazed Remus manages to pull the thing off in the first place with how much his entire frame seems to be struggling to shift its own weight.

Hold it in, Sasuke. Hold it in. ]

... perhaps you aren't as incompetent as I believed. [ Close enough. ]

Take a second to breathe.

[Well, it's a start! It's not a compliment, but it's something, and Remus perks up. He's well aware of how awful he is at physical things, so to hear that he's not the absolute worst is quite nice. He hoists himself up, sitting on his knees, smiling rather.]

Give us your age, then.

[ Well. Fuck. Fine, he'll let him have this one. ]

Seventeen, recently. [ And how well Remus had done in guessing. ]

Though in my clan it doesn't much matter. Adulthood is determined through prowess in a rite of passage, not by age.

[He smirks just slightly.]

I never said you were anything but an adult.

[After all, seventeen is when they graduate; it's not quite an adult, but very nearly one. (Although from the grand old age of nearly-twenty-two, it seems very young indeed.]]

I'm giving you extra information, not defending myself. [ There's nothing to defend, after all, not when he's had more life experience than he honestly really wants.

He can't help wondering how much more he'll have when he's twenty-two. ]

For us, as soon as we're able to produce a certain katon technique -- a fireball -- we're considered adults. How does it work in your world?

[Yeah, all right, buddy.]

It's not so clear-cut. We graduate school at seventeen, and that's a fairly good marker-- I mean, emotionally, I don't know, half the time I barely feel an adult right now. But my friend married and had a child at twenty, so.

[ Don't you even start with me.

Still, shinobi often marry young, so it doesn't strike him as odd. After all, they need to reproduce quickly with their extremely high mortality rates... ]

We graduate at twelve. It used to be that the age was lower, but...

It tends to increase the chances of instability when people are moved into their squadrons at that age. [ No kidding. ]

We had dorms. Four to five magical teenagers in a tiny room. Not pleasant at times, let me tell you.

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