| [Dec. 7th, 2015|02:19 am] |
For trained shinobi, they were both terrible liars.
Kakashi traded a glance with Katsuko, who offered an unrevealing look in return. By mutual accord they trailed after their teammates.
The orthopedics receptionist was short and perky, with a slicked back hairstyle that shined like black glass. He smiled the entire way through Genma’s introduction, and continued to smile through the explanation of Ryouma’s problem. Kakashi mistrusted him on principle.
“You’re in luck!” the receptionist chirped. “Niimi-sensei had a cancellation this morning. She could see you in ten minutes.”
“Oh,” Ryouma said, flat as slate. “Good.”
“He’ll take it,” Genma said firmly.
“Okay! Then I just need you to fill in these forms detailing the issue, and sign here, and— oh, is this right?” The receptionist flipped around the file Genma had given him, indicating the line that said ‘functionally illiterate’.
Ryouma gave the file a blank look. Because he couldn’t read it.
Kakashi’s estimation of the receptionist took another dive.
“That’s correct,” Genma said, with calm professionalism and only a flicker of hidden annoyance.
Katsuko reached across and took the paperwork. “I’ve got it.”
The broad muscles in Ryouma’s shoulders bunched under his t-shirt, then deliberately relaxed. “Thanks,” he told Katsuko. “What kind of details does it need?”
She scanned down the form. “Cause, location, duration.”
It occurred to Kakashi that Ryouma had never, actually, said how he’d hurt his knee.
There was a telling hesitation, then Ryouma said, “Got my knee kicked in about ten years ago. Walked on it a couple months before I saw a medic. Stiffens up now after too much strain or in bad weather sometimes, but it never buckled under me in a fight.”
Ten years ago would’ve put Ryouma at genin-team age, maybe even chuunin, if he’d advanced early. A decent jounin-sensei would’ve dragged him to see a medic at the moment of injury, but the war had changed a lot of priorities.
Kakashi tilted his head, trying to square that perfectly reasonable explanation with the ashamed tilt of Ryouma’s mouth.
Katsuko took dutiful notes, asked a few more questions (assisted by Genma’s prompting), added the answers, and handed the forms back to the receptionist. They all took a seat on one of the benches lining the room, and sat in awkward silence while the clock ticked the morning away.
“Soooo...” Katsuko began, with the thoughtful lilt that always spelled trouble.
A door opened on the other side of the room before she could finish. “Shiranui?” a nurse called.
Genma let out a relieved breath. “I’m here,” he said, grabbing for his crutches and levering to his feet. He gave them a last collective look — warning to Katsuko and Kakashi, warmer to Ryouma. “I’ll tell the doctors to let you observe my session when your appointment’s done.”
Ryouma nodded stiffly.
To Kakashi and Katsuko, Genma added, “If you want to continue the mission, I should be done in ninety minutes or less.”
Kakashi flicked a two-fingered salute of acknowledgement. Katsuko smiled, small but amused, and gave the lieutenant a little farewell wave as he crutched through the door. |
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