“She did teach me the Hyuuga jyuuken, though,” Ryouma added.

Kakashi stared at open air for three full seconds before he managed to say, “What?”

“You’ve sparred with me,” Ryouma said, surprised. “Didn’t you recognize the forms? We modified it some, ‘cause I can’t see the chakra flow and I’m just looking to get a touch in, not disrupt organ function…”

‘Modified’, by Ryouma’s standards, obviously translated to something like ‘radically bastardized’ by Kakashi’s, but with the correct lens in place he could see the connection, now, between Ryouma’s flowing strikes and the circular devastation of the Hyuugas’ Gentle Fist.

How had he missed that?

Other than it being basically unheard of for Hyuuga to share their style with anyone outside the clan. The jyuuken wasn’t forbidden, technically, not like the coveted Hakkesohou Kaiten, which obliterated opponents while looking fantastically stupid. Sharing that would get a Branch member executed and a Main House member… Actually, Kakashi wasn’t sure what the punishment for a Main House member was. A frosty reception over the dinner table, perhaps.

But the point was, Ryouma had been holding out on him.

Kakashi dropped back down into his seat by the bed, deliberately below Ryouma’s eyeline like a properly contrite human being, and said eagerly, “Do you remember the original forms? Did she teach you their chakra injection technique?”

Ryouma tipped his chin down, amused but not mocking. “Dunno if I could replicate ‘em now—it’s been six years. I was working on the Naizou Tokasu then, though, and she gave me some tips on injecting the chakra. It’s the Ox and Bird seal combo that really does it. Kind of builds hooks in your chakra to sink it into your opponent’s system.” He gestured with both hands, long fingers curling over each other. “I guess the Hyuuga don’t actually use handseals to refine their chakra when they’re using the jyuuken, but… my way’s more effective than theirs.”

He grinned, broad and cocky, and Kakashi’s first thought was, asshole — but fondly. His second thought was that he hadn’t seen that grin in too long.

Kakashi let a smile hook the corner of his mouth. “That must be why I keep creaming you in spars. Your effectiveness.”

Ryouma laughed aloud, a little hoarse but bright and real. “C’mon, lieutenant’d have my head if I actually melted you in practice.” He reached out unexpectedly and dragged a hand through Kakashi’s hair, mussing it into Kakashi’s eye. “Besides, it’s good for you to think you’d have a fighting chance.”

Kakashi ducked and caught Ryouma’s wrist. Ryouma tugged back. Kakashi tightened his grip, shook hair out of his face, and sat up. He turned Ryouma’s captured hand over, studying the graceful killing span between thumb and fingertips, envisioning the chakra flow. Ox and Bird, forming hooks.

Ryouma’s fingers twitched. “We objected to people cutting off my hands to study them, remember?”

Kakashi blinked up, then down at the half-moon scar marking Ryouma’s wrist, just visible beneath Kakashi’s grip. Fading memory of Akiyama’s scalpel. He let go immediately.

“Sorry,” he said again. “I was trying to picture how it would look.”

“You could ask,” Ryouma said mildly.