"Sure," Ryouma said, and stepped away from the door.

He was three inches taller than Raidou. The spiky brush of hair revealed itself as reddish-brown, in this light. Solidly muscled arms and shoulders, broad and capable hands. And that deep, smoky baritone, easy on the syllables of a family name Ryouma had never known, and a personal name that couldn't be that common...

"Good to meet you," Ryouma said. "Again."

Raidou pushed his mask aside and grinned, dark eyes dancing. He'd lost the black eye somewhere in the last six months; the split lip had healed without a scar. "Glad you made it in," he said. Then he pulled his mask back down and headed for the door that led to the hall. "Follow me."

Raidou'd been good at giving orders the last time they met without masks, too--but Ryouma shut down that line of thought quickly. There'd be time enough later to overthink things, and likely there was nothing to overthink at all. Katsuko was already heading out the door on Raidou's heels. Ryouma fell in behind her.

The medic, Genma, followed at Ryouma's back. Kakashi trailed behind him, radiating disgruntlement. Possibly, Ryouma charitably assumed, because he kept trying to put his hands in the pockets he didn't have.

"How's the hand?" Genma asked, as the antechamber door swung shut behind them. Katsuko, just ahead of Ryouma, looked back curiously.

Ryouma raised his hand. Asuka-sensei had taken the bandage-club off last night, after another intensive healing session and repeated promises of good behavior. It was gloved in tightly wrapped bandages now, still a little too stiff and bulky for the sleek black ANBU gloves, but his fingers curled nearly to his palm. "Improving. I should have full function by the end of the week. Back up to seal speed in a week after that, if I do my exercises right." Which he would, possibly in place of sleep.

"I can help you with the exercises," Genma offered. "And you'll want to ice it after workouts." Ryouma ducked a grateful nod.

"How d'you know the captain?" Katsuko demanded. She was walking nearly backward now. Over her shoulders, Raidou's spine was stiff and straight.

Ryouma chewed the inside of his cheek. "Shared a drink a few months back," he said at last. "Then he and Shiranui and Kakashi all saved my life—and my hand—a couple days ago. Sorry I bled on you," he added cordially.

A little of the tension leaked out of Raidou's spine. He lifted one shoulder in an easy shrug. "'Doubt it'll be the last time."

"If I had ten ryou for every ninja who's bled on me, I could live like a daimyou," Genma said wryly.

Katsuko's masked face tipped from Ryouma to Raidou. She shrugged, and about-faced again just in time to avoid a potted plant on a plinth. "Bleeding on each other is a team bonding activity," she said.

"Guess I'm making a good head start, then," Ryouma said.