One of Many-To-Be (Open)

It was after he recovered from his first fight in the Jounin exams and Salzem wasn't happy with the results. A TIE!? Who ever got anywhere by TIE-ing with anyone!? Not only was he worried he might be disqualified from the tournament himself, but he was also somewhat disgusted he hadn't grown strong enough to pull out a win! Perhaps he should've spent those last couple of days leading up to the tournament to train, get back into the swing of things and all... Now all he could do is wait in unhappy anticipation, waiting for the results as to who would pass and who would be left behind. Perhaps he should've been back at the arena, watching the other fights and studying up against his other opponents, but kage-knows he needed a break from such things... A time to unwind, relax, a preparation sometimes even better than punching a few dozen dummies into oblivion.

Following this philosophy diligently, the lycanthrope went to his favorite noodle-bar/grill, ordering his favorite ramen with extra meat and vegetables, the smell of Suna cooking reaching his nose and making his mouth water... It DEFINITELY wasn't Konoha-style ramen, but it was the best in the desert for all he could tell. Needless to say after a fight that literally almost killed him in that arena, suffering a hole in his arm, sustaining and using his ultimate attacks for long periods of time throughout the fight and the mental exertion ALONE, he was QUITE hungry. When he bowl arrived, he found himself rather.... unhappy with the size... This was large...? Couldn't have been... So he ordered another. He'd be damned if the second one wasn't even better and more filling than the first, only half way through it when he began to feel the seemingly endless void in his gut begin to fill. Much unlike how his wolven form would lead people to believe, Salzem ate his food with a sort of... grace but not fancily, slow but not agonizingly so, making a concerted effort to show some respect and care in his daily life. Long gone were the days when he had the excuse to act like an animal, to live like one, so now he had to start acting like a man... Perhaps it started here, with these bowls of ramen. Perhaps in a bit, when he had a full stomach, he'd be able to move onto normal, respectable conversation.

Ayame followed after Salzem when he left the arena. He looked rather angry and to be quiite honest she worried about him greatly. Perhaps he just needed a friend to help him work things out. At least she had the smarts to let Nita know she was leaving, so that if either of them had a fight coming up they could be back at the arena in time.

Before she knew it, she had lost him. "If I were Salzem, where would I go?" she asked herself wishing that she had brought Nita along to track him.

Her first instinct would have been to train, but then she remembered Sal's philosophy of "If I can't improve myself before the exams, why waste my time training."

Her next instinct was food. When she got upset she used to eat. So she peeked into a couple restaurants before finding Salzem, and sighing in relief when she had found him, sitting alone in a booth, eating ramen very neatly and looking like someone had just beheaded a bunch of puppies in front of him while he was helpless to do anything.

Ayame slid into the leather seat across from him, watching him with her big blue inquisitive eyes, that looked rather glum. "Mind if I join you?" Ayame said to break the ice of her suddenly being there.
"Sal, I don't think we were supposed to leave." She said softly, trying her best not to upset him.

The server came over and asked for Ayame's order, to which she glanced to her side at the menu between the two but propped up inside a little frame-thing on the table. "I'lll have the Ramen: Seafood Special" Ayame said having more than enough ryo to pay for the more-expensive dish being that Suna was a desert. "Uh no actual fish, though, just mussels and crustaceans please."

Ayame then turned back to the boy noticing the extra meat sal had ordered. she brushed her hair behind her ears and made sure her headband was secure around her waist where she normally kept it when not seriously fighting.

"Hey, are you okay?" she asked stretching her arms out just a little and moving her body backward to stretch her back before placing her face on the table feeling rather tired.

"I swear if auntie comes home drunk, I'm kicking her out, she's so annoying when she's drunk." Ryou said to himself hanging upside down from the ceiling. His aunt had went out drinking with some friends. She wasn't an alcoholic, she barley drinks sake at all in fact, but this was an every once and a while thing. His thought were interrupted with his stomach growling. He grabs the money his aunt left behind for him, she told him to eat out with the money. So, Ryou did as told and headed out.

There were many places to eat. Ryou was thinking about curry, his favorite, but he ate that to much. He wonders to see what his stomach would like. The weather wasn't bad today so he had his hood down with his villages head band showing. After a while he spots something his belly would like.The Ramen shop. The Ramen shop didn't have to many people so he entered. Ryou did notice the others but he didn't know that they were shinobi. "One large bowl, with extra pork ,please." He says putting down the money that was enough to pay. The man returns with the ramen. Ryou was accustomed to size of the bowl so he didn't mind.

Salzem looked up as he heard a familiar voice, one that belonged to a girl he had only recently met in a certain sparring match he had the audacity to lose. Appearing like some kind of angel, beit for a good or bad reason, Ayame stood off to the side of his booth, looking at him with a gaze that made him think he was doing something wrong. Before even asking if she may, Ayame took the liberty of deciding for herself, sitting down across from him in his little leather booth, noting that they shouldn't be allowed to leave. Of course, because this was training of a kind, training of restraint, Salzem looked up at the blue-eyed girl with his own deep sanguine, staring into them with a certain intensity, his expression clearly annoyed.

"I was defeated in my fight. After I was healed up, the docs said I could leave for a moment to grab a bite to eat before coming back." the Lycan explained before going straight back to his food, his movements as slow and robotic as he could manage. Noticing the newcomer now sitting at Salzem's table, his waiter returned with a pen and pad, asking what she'd like, responding with a sea-food special without all the fish. That, surprisingly, made him smile just a bit... Seafood without fish...? Ayame had strange tastes... Without even looking up from his food, he detected the girl's obvious state of uncomfortableness, figiting with her hair and looking down towards her waist at her headband. It made his one hand not occupied with eating immediately reach up to where it hung loosely around his throat, but only for a moment. As if seeming to notice his own emotions, albeit they weren't that subtle, Ayame decided to crack open a can-of-worms and ask if he was doing okay. He glanced up from his food again, looking at the girl strangely as if to ask why are you here, bothering me with that now? He was never one to talk about his own feelings, even as they wore away from his soul. Its hard for people to understand a problem that had been festering in you and only you for its entire existence... at least in his mind, so why give people the satisfaction...? That's exactly what he asked himself as he GAVE the satisfaction.

"No, not especially, Aya." Salzem admitted, setting his fork down with just a little too much force, it's metal bending inward just the tiniest bit. "My pride has just taken a hit, I couldn't land one of my own on that water-guy Kyson... Its all embarrassing to say the least." Salzem brushed his empty bowls away to the side of the counter, leaning forward as Aya placed her head on the table, leaning on his arms.

"A tie... that's not acceptable... and it won't happen again..."

Ayame could almost feel his anger seep through his skin and touch her own.

"I understand." Ayame said as her order came and she began to eat her food. Oysters, clams, and Shrimp? Yum! It made the broth have a slightly sweet taste to it, which she liked.

She felt his heavy gaze on her, so she thought maybe she had said something wrong. She looked up and met his gaze before looking away shyly. "Uh, would you like to try?" She asked picking out a sweet oyster with her chopsticks and holding it out to him over his placemat, where he could either take it or eat it, or even swat it away if he wished.

"I um, I'm sorry to kind of follow you out here like this." She said noting that maybe she was a bit clingy with her friends, though it was because so many had disappeared or left her without a trace. "I just thought, maybe you needed a friend right now," she paused, "I know you don't know me very well, but I'd like to know you. I just feel like our personalities kind of clicked when we met; that we'd be good friends" again she paused a moment trying to find her words. She brushed the hair from her eyes back behind her ear again before looking up at him again. "Either way, I just wanted to make sure you are okay"

Ryou's interested perked when he heard Sal talk about his fight. He looks over at the duo and did see the girl with another village's head band. It rare for him to see outsiders and he didn't want to miss the chance to get to know them. "Wow, another village Shinobi." he says to them after thinking about all this. "I'm Ryou Kenshin, a genin from here." He introduced himself. It was to late to be thining of this, but he hoped that they were nice shinobi and not here to destroy our village. Ryou still was strong enough to fight genin like him, that why he trained a lot. Ryou didn't want to think this now, he didn't want to embarrass himself in front of two strangers, right now he was representing Suna.

Salzem looked away towards the wall beside him as Ayame received her fishless-fish-food and began munching away. Occasionally, he'd look back in her direction once he got tired of memorizing the patterns of cut wood, their eyes occasionally meeting before flicking back to their original positions, almost as if they were embarrassed to look at one another. After this happened one-too-many times, the girl must've decided she had enough and said the first word to break the silence, asking if he would want to try... whatever it was she held in her chopstick. It looked like a dumpling but... much bumpier and... almost necrotic in tone... By all means of presentation, this thing she held, be it oyster or clam (he couldn't begin to tell the difference), it was VERY unappetizing. However, the smell and the texture he imagined for the thing wasn't something necessarily disgusting and it WAS food...

The lycan felt his cheeks began to prickle and burn as they turned a light red at her suggestion, looking away almost in sync as she popped the question. He didn't know why, but her flustered, innocent behavior made him flustered as well... He felt vulnerable in her presence, as if the mere existence of her uneasiness spread to him as well.

"Okay..... sure..." Salzem muttered before leaning in a little farther and taking the sea-food between his teeth, plucking it from her chop-sticks. Salzem's face lit up in surprise, not expecting the sweet and rich flavor coming from the oyster. True enough, it was nowhere near his favorite food, but he certainly had his pallet broadened with this endeavor. "...It was really good... thanks..." Was all he could say before turning away once more. After another moment of silence, Ayame spoke up again, this time apologizing for following him out here. The lycan looked back at her once more, confused as to why she'd need to apologize... She was acting as if he didn't want her here when, in fact, nothing could've been further from the truth... He enjoyed her company very much, in fact, despite her being there made him feel..... strange... She stated that even though he didn't know her, she wanted to know him, that she wanted to be his friend, that she wanted to make sure he was okay. No one ever really seemed to care as much as Ayame did at that moment... She had sought him out, followed him, sat with him here and talked to find out if he was okay... The old Salzem might've been angered, perhaps even repulsed but him now... he found it flattering... He smiled lightly, nervous for a reason beyond his comprehension at the time before reaching out and gently took her hand in a PURELY PLATONIC WAY he was certain.

"Thank you... I'm okay now..." Salzem assured her before their moment was interrupted by a ninja of the sand. Salzem looked up as the ninja approached their booth, having seemingly heard everything they were talking about. Old Sal or no... this was something he DIDN'T like... the kid seemed enthusiastic to meet them, but also controlled, attempting to set a good example for the village in which he inhabits. Were it not for his eavesdropping and his blatent interruption of their moment, he might've actually greeted this boy with a smile.

"Hey, kid. I'm Salzem." He nodded towards the girl across from him in the booth. "This is Ayame. Is there something we can do for you?"

Ayame had been expecting for him to grab the oyster with his chopsticks and eat it, but when she felt a soft pressure against her chopsticks and looked up... well she was shocked, to say the least. Had he just taken the oyster from her chopsticks with his mouth? Did she actually just feed him?

A soft blush spread across her her cheeks as her thoughts began to race. The silence beforehand had been awkward but this was different. It was almost embarrassing but yet so different. Her heart was in her throat and her stomach had dropped to the floor.

She looked away rather quickly trying to figure out what was going on. Her hands had started to shake, and just as she started to move back to her bowl, he grabbed her hand gently, causing her to freeze, looking much like a deer in the headlights. Was it a look of disbelief on her face?  

She was confused at to why she felt this way. It was a good feeling, but it was also scary and she wasn't sure why. Then he thanked her, and said he was fine now.

Ayame became flustered, tripping over her words, "Th-that's good, I-I-I g-guess" was all she could manage to say before a young blonde boy approached them, interrupting her and sal's heart-to-heart. It occurred to her that he could have heard everything, and that thought really made her feel insecure, as if her private thoughts and emotions had been blasted on the loudspeaker of the Arena. She jerked her hand back and used it to feel how hot her face was.

Ayame looked away feeling embarrassed. "Yeah I'm Ayame," She responded in sync with Sal introducing her, another thing that made her heart race a little. After Sal had finished she added some more.

"It's nice to meet you" Ayame said forcing a smile onto her almost-scared-looking face, extending a hand to the youngster for a handshake and then sliding into the end of her booth so the kid could sit if he pleased. "I'm a genin from Konoha. So, 're you in the exams?" She asked curiously, but with a quieter more reserved tone, just wanting to be able to escape into her mind as the dull chatter of the nearly empty restaurant faded. She was focused on something else now, not really paying attention to anything as she mindlessly ate.

Ryou knew how most women functioned. He knew the Ayame like this Sal more than a friend. Of course not telling them what he thought.

Ryou shook her hand once she extended it to him. "Not really, It's just I don't see much outsiders." Ryou replies to Sal with a smile. Ayame then tells him that they were at the same level. Then of course she brought up the exams. "No, I'm not strong enough, I can barley use my own bloodline." He felt good expressing that he wasn't strong enough. He looks at the bowl of food and takes a couple bites. "Are you too in them?" He asked them both. "Also...Are you two...You know...Together?" He felt embarrassed to ask.

Salzem didn't quite get why Ayame was freezing up the way she did on contact with him. It was a mere gesture to express his appreciation, nothing more, nothing less... Unless she took it another way... Doing his best to hide the ever-growing blush spreading across his cheeks and up his nose, the lycanthrope pulled his mask back over his mouth, the dark fabric easily hiding the reddish-pink underneath. Ayame snatched her hand away and Ryou approached, holding it out for him to shake. Of course, Salzem retracted his own as well, but he didn't hold out his own hand for introductions. His name would do just fine, he thought... Already he didn't like this kid, so no need for a friendly gesture. As Ayame made her inquisitions, Salzem kept to himself, not saying much, toying with the scraps that remained in one of his bowls with his fork. Every so often, he'd glance up at the child, resisting the powerful erg to tell him off or request kindly that he get lost. Every time the words crept up on his tongue, he'd remind himself of three very important things: 1, he was a child and didn't know better, 2, This was his village and he was trying to be as nice host as he could be and 3, patience was a virtue. While they were talking, the waiter dropped by and passed them a bill, one singular bill assuming that Ayame and Salzem were paying together. That was the new thing that got his attention... That one bill... Perhaps it was just him being self-conscious but... it seemed as if people were making assumptions and NOT just who was paying for who.

"I am in the Jounin exams, yes." Salzem responded to the boy's inquiry, assuming for the best that he wasn't immediately knocked from the roster. The follow-up question Ryou proposed caused the Lycanthrope to immediately freeze in place, unmoving and silent for several seconds. Simply processing the magnitude of what he asked... Who walks up to people, especially strangers and ASKS that sort of thing!? He might as well walk in on Ryou while he's talking to some female relative and ask the same thing! It was rude... arrogant... not true... AT ALL... No matter how much mask he had on now, nothing was going to hide the red that flushed the ninja's face. Without another word or even another thought, Salzem deposited the money displayed on the check seeming ONLY TO SOLIDIFY Ryou's assumption before storming out of the restaurant and out into the village, pulling his hood over his head to hide his sanguine-face.

"I hate people... Salzem growled under his breath, his cheeks positively steaming with blush. "I hate Sunagakure..." Of course, this was purely said out of the SHEER embarrassment and didn't really believe what he was saying.