| [Jan. 4th, 2014|09:25 am] |
“That was mostly it,” Genma said, “But maybe one other thing.” If Kakashi was in a rare, communicative mood, Genma was willing to take advantage of it. “Is there anything you observed about your teammates on the mission or afterwards that you think the captain and I should pay special attention to?”
There was a long silence. Kakashi’s visible eye deflected up and left a few times, as if he were mentally reviewing the mission, and he shifted his stance slightly, adjusting the angle of one shoulder and tucking his hands into his pockets, but when he finally spoke, it was only to say, “Nothing you don't already know.”
So much for communicative.
“Alright,” Genma said. “What about your thoughts about the captain and me? If you’re not comfortable giving me direct feedback, I’m sure the captain would be willing to hear it in private, too.”
Kakashi didn’t bat an eye. “You fuss,” he told Genma, looking directly at him. “You don’t trust people with their own care.”
“I don’t?” Genma considered that for a moment. There was Kakashi’s facial injury today—that had possibly been over the line since they were off duty. And the situation with the rookies’ blisters and chafing, but pressing about that had turned out to be a wise choice given the state Genma remembered finding them in. All the other medical care he’d given on the mission had been acute and necessary.
Or maybe Kakashi meant he fussed about other things. There was that conversation about Katsuko’s chakra, and he certainly found himself badgering Kakashi and the rest of the team to remember to eat.
“You’re right, maybe I don’t trust you,” he said at length. “But on the whole so far neither you nor Ryouma have impressed me with your abilities to handle your own care all that well.”
“I didn't say you were wrong.” Kakashi's mouth quirked under his mask in what might almost have been a hint of amusement. “But I could point out that I didn't need bone-setting, blood transfusions, chakra transfusions, minor surgery, or a hospital stay at the end of this mission.”
Unlike Katsuko, Raidou, Ryouma, and Genma himself. Genma pursed his lips against a smile of his own. “You have a point. So in the future, I can worry about you less—is that what you’re saying?”
“Think of all the energy you’d save,” Kakashi said.
“I’ll consider it. Although if I let anything happen to you, I suspect there’d be a line of rather high-ranking individuals out for my blood. Not to mention Rin-sensei.” Genma shrugged. “You see the bind I’m in?”
This time the glint of amusement in Kakashi’s eye was unmistakable. “I’ll try to be less likable,” he drawled, “for your sake.”
“No need to go to extremes,” Genma said. “I was actually just starting to enjoy this new, more likeable side of you.”
“The one where I tell you what you do wrong?”
“Well, at least you look like you’re enjoying it,” Genma said. “That’s actually pretty novel.” He quirked a smile Kakashi’s way. “And you came to tell me my friend was alive. You didn’t have to do that.”
Kakashi shrugged awkwardly, evidently unsure what to do with gratitude he considered unearned.
Baby steps, Genma told himself. Compared to the rest of the team, Kakashi was hardly the only one with social fluency issues.
“What about the captain?” Genma asked. “Any issues for him? I can disguise the source if necessary.”
Kakashi frowned. “If I had a problem, I’d tell him directly.” |
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