| [Nov. 2nd, 2013|03:49 am] |
Katsuko almost didn’t hear Raidou over the low buzzing between her ears. She brought her arms up, hands hovering at Raidou’s sides. After a moment, she ventured an uncertain, “What do I do now?”
"You could hug back," he suggested. With her face mashed up against his collarbone, she could feel the low rumble of his voice. "If you want to."
He was warm, and his arms around her felt safe. Katsuko held herself stiff for another second before giving in, letting Raidou take her weight as she sagged against him. Cautiously, she wrapped her arms around his back, settling her palms just underneath the broad wings of his shoulderblades.
"Okay," she said, quietly. Her voice felt very far away. She tightened her grip around him and realized, distantly, that she was shaking. It’d be better for her to leave, barricade herself in her room so no one would see her weakness. But Raidou was the only other person here, and he wouldn’t tell anybody if Katsuko let herself have this one little thing. She buried her face into the crook of his neck and let her mind go blank.
She didn’t know how long they stood there, but eventually Raidou shifted. Katsuko tensed, but he was only shuffling them over to sit down on the neatly made bed. Katsuko leaned against him and curled into herself, unwilling to release him for even a second. “Sorry,” she said into his neck, haltingly. “I don’t know what I’m-- could we just stay like this? For a bit?”
Raidou pulled her closer, rubbing one hand slowly up and down her back. “Sure,” he said. “As long as you want.”
He didn’t say anything else, just sat there patiently with her like he had all the time in the world. Katsuko closed her eyes and let herself drift.
Intel had sealed her files, like they did everything connected to Orochimaru, but as her ANBU captain Raidou deserved to know more than the bare bones. She wanted to tell him more, which was frightening enough by itself. Frustration rose in her throat like bile, pushing her out of her light doze.
Time had passed, but she didn’t know how much. Were the shadows in the room longer? Their food was still out on the table, probably cold. Katsuko stirred and managed to lift her head up, avoiding eye contact with Raidou by examining the rest of furniture.
“Mrmph,” she said. And then: “Y’really need to get a couch.”
"S'on my list," Raidou said. He didn’t sound annoyed or impatient. "Groceries, couch, beat my team up..."
“Heh.” Her arms were beginning to ache. Reluctantly, she let Raidou go and scrubbed at her face. Her voice came out rusty and cracked. “Thanks. I, um. I needed that.” |
|