| [Oct. 19th, 2015|12:04 am] |
Kakashi waved a hand and leaned back against his wall again, finding a comfortable slouch. “Ueno’s agreed to teach me her family’s kenjutsu style, so you’ll have plenty of bruises and severed limbs to practice on.”
“Severed limbs go to your friend Nohara-sensei,” Ryouma said hurriedly, and then a lightbulb flicked on. “Oh, was that what you were buying swords for? You’re gonna teach him, Katsu, really? I mean—” He frowned. “Doesn’t it usually take years? Though I guess you can just Sharingan it up…”
“No Sharingan,” Kakashi said. “Sensei’s orders.”
“He learns Hyoho Niten without the Sharingan, or he doesn’t learn Hyoho Niten at all,” Katsuko said cheerfully.
Kakashi gave Ryouma a dry look, then folded his arms and put his head down on the table, which was warm and solid and — most importantly — horizontal. The new swords were a pleasant weight against his hip, and Ryouma was laughing again, low and rumbling against the background of restaurant noise.
“I hope you’ll let me come watch,” Ryouma said. “I promise I won’t try to steal your super secret moves, either. But I really want to kick back under a tree and watch you two beat each other up.”
“Since I’m the teacher, I’m the one who’s going to beat him up,” Katsuko informed them. “Bring snacks. Passing on my wisdom and knowledge will make me hungry.”
Kakashi made a disbelieving sound into his crossed arms.
“I will want snacks. Watching other people exercise makes me hungry.” Ryouma took a bite of something that thickened his voice. “And since it’s training on your own time, I could bring beer instead of juiceboxes, and the lieutenant can’t disapprove.”
“Because alcohol and swords is always a good mix,” Kakashi muttered.
“I’ll drink your share,” Ryouma promised generously. “You can have a juicebox. I’ll wheedle one out of the lieutenant for you.”
“It’ll be fine! The practice swords are blunted,” Katsuko said, with the cheer of someone who now had a valid reason to abuse one of her subordinates.
Kakashi turned his head just enough to raise his uncovered eye above the level of his arm, and squinted vengefully at them. “Some day you’re both going to need something from me, and I’ll remember this.”
Ryouma blinked in wounded innocence. “All I did was offer you snacks and a juicebox.”
Katsuko just cackled loudly and propped her chin on her hand, looking pleased and fond and satisfied with life. It was the first time she’d been relaxed since...
He couldn’t remember when. Too long.
Kakashi tucked his head back down, and said, “Tell Tousaki your good news.” |
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