| [Oct. 1st, 2015|02:58 am] |
Genma flattened his hand on the paper before Ryouma could take it. “You do,” he said, “but first I want to go over your action plan with you.”
And second — well as soon as he was done here — he was signing up for that counseling class, because it was as plain as a summer dawn that he’d stepped into quicksand again.
Ryouma was haunted and raw — he’d told that story about his coming back to Konoha in the same halting voice Genma’d heard refugees use to describe the battles they’d fled from. And Genma had pushed too hard, given the panicky haste with which Ryouma had grabbed for an exit strategy.
It was just like with Kakashi on their first mission, talking about what that urgent summons to Konoha, that Code Broken Link, might mean. With Kakashi the step too far had been the moment Genma touched him. But Ryouma didn’t seem to mind being touched, or at least he hadn't gone rigid.
No. It was the question. Genma shouldn’t have asked it. He’d poked too hard at Raidou’s raw spots in the bunker at Arechi Hill, too. If he did it to Katsuko on their next mission, he’d have the whole set.
Ryouma tugged at the form — not hard enough to rip it, but clearly irritated and impatient — and snapped out the items on his action plan. “Practice chakra management for high-intensity jutsu. Review signals. Start medical training with you and sign up for classes at the Academy. Get my knee checked out. I remember.”
There was that emotional instability again. And hypersensitivity about his inability to read.
“Sorry,” Genma said. “I know you have a good memory.” They could deal with Ryouma’s touchiness when Ryouma wasn’t actively being touchy. He resolved to hit the few remaining points quickly, and get this meeting concluded.
“Can we talk about a timeline for your knee? If they decide surgery is required, it’ll be better to get that done while the rest of us are also on medical leave.”
Ryouma’s eyes widened. “Surgery?” He dropped a hand to his knee, rubbing it protectively. “It’s not that bad.”
“I hope it’s not, too,” Genma said. “But it’s a possibility. You injured it several years ago and it’s still unstable. Probably tore a ligament. A Hyuuga doctor ought to be able to tell. You’re able to walk on it, so we know it’s not a terrible injury. It won’t be a bad surgery if it comes to it. One of those ones where they have you in and out in a few hours, and then you can come do PT with me.” He smiled and shrugged, hoping he’d hit something like a reassuring happy medium between realism and optimism.
Ryouma looked unconvinced. “It didn't hold me up on the last mission.”
“It might on the next,” Genma told him. “I’ve seen you limping on it more than a few times.”
Ryouma was arguing, but at least he’d stopped looking quite so desperate to flee. And they were back on safer ground.
“I get it,” Genma continued. “No one likes to go to the medic unless they’re actively bleeding, but this is one of those things that’s better treated before it becomes a problem.” He touched a finger to the ‘goals and expectations’ sections of the review. “This isn’t a matter of want to or not. Taichou and I made it an order. Get it evaluated this week, while we are still on leave from any missions.”
Ryouma twitched irritably. “Fine,” he said, with all the put-upon inflection of a sullen adolescent. “I'll make an appointment tomorrow. Interim captain'll sure be cheerful about a whole team getting cranky on medical leave.” |
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