Kakashi expected her to make a wounded sound, but instead she just looked between Raidou and Genma, cleared her throat quietly, and got up. Genma had already turned back to his desk, shoulders tight and pulled together. Katsuko went over to him and stood quietly to one side, shoulders straight, respectful as any soldier waiting for an order.

Layers, Kakashi thought again, and tipped his head at Ryouma.

Silently, Ryouma pulled himself off the sofa, pitched his soda cans in the trash with one hand, and met Kakashi at the door. “Taichou,” he said, saluting. “Lieutenant.”

Raidou nodded. “You did good work this week—both of you.”

Kakashi saluted and slipped out, with Ryouma glowing at his side. When they were halfway down the hall, Ryouma said, “Probably better to get out of here before the Quartermaster shows up to kneecap us, anyway.”

“To kneecap you, maybe,” Kakashi said, secure in the knowledge that he’d managed to keep both his armor and mask intact. “But who hasn’t had that urge?”

“Everybody just wants to bring me down on their level…” Ryouma trailed off into a blissful yawn.

Kakashi snorted.

They got lost on the way out of ANBU, which was completely Ryouma’s fault for being distracting. Two wrong turns took them into a maze that ended up deep in the eerie skulks of T&I offices, and another fifteen minutes of back-tracking just trying to find their way out.

When they finally made it outside, it was almost a surprise to find it wasn’t the middle of the night. Instead the sun was high and golden, drifting through a warm afternoon. Down below the stony faces of the Hokage’s Monument, Konoha was bustling.

Kakashi was nearly tempted to lie down on the training field, where the grass was tall, and just soak it up for a while. Home and warmth, where nothing smelled like death.

Well, except for Ryouma.

Showers would probably serve them better, and a bed for Ryouma. Then Kakashi could head down to the Hokage’s palace.

“Which one’s your room?” he asked Ryouma.

“218. Second floor, south-west corner.” He gave Kakashi a sidelong look. “We use the same bathroom.”

“We do?”

“I borrowed your shaving cream last week—Wait." Ryouma pinched the bridge of his nose with long, calloused fingers, blinking hard, then pulled his hand away and grinned. “You found your sense of humor.”

Kakashi felt his mouth tug sideways. “You can’t prove a thing.” He shoved his hands into his pockets, fingers curling around the demon tooth, and struck out towards the barracks at a pace Ryouma could limp along to. “You do owe me shaving cream, though.”