Kaito ruffled a hand over the top of his head, mouth twisting. "I just slept in. And I had more to pack than I thought, y'know?" In point of fact, he still hadn't gotten it all packed. It wasn't like he'd had time to prepare for this, and he didn't even own boxes. He'd stuffed most of his things in garbage bags, and was really grateful he didn't have anything breakable.

Actually, he possessed only about two chopsticks and a plate, which was nice. It meant even less packing. And yet, he still hadn't finished.

He'd been busy sleeping. Sleeping was important. As if reminded of how important, he yawned broadly and ruffled his hair up again.

Raidou looked awake. Weirdo.

"Did you have pancakes?" He thought he could smell them...

Raidou quirked an eyebrow. The small corner of his soul that hinged around timing being important, dammit, was protesting. The rest of him was a little more familiar with teenagers, and knew exactly how well a criticism would go down this early in their 'buddy thing'.

Lead balloon didn't quite cover it.

"Help yourself," he said instead, gesturing at the counter of his small kitchenette where pancakes were still stacked on a plate. He hadn't gotten around to eating any, yet. "They're cold, but they should taste okay. How'd you fare with moving in?"

Considering the sleeping in, he doubted the answer would be positive.

Kaito pushed into the room, fixated on the pile of food. There was a plate, but he took the first flat disk and rolled it up, chowing down while he shifted several more over and looked around hopefully for butter and syrup. There was a little dish of butter, and one of those fancy-looking glass syrup bottles, more than a little dusty. He unscrewed the cap, still chewing, and drenched his pancakes.

"I haven't, actually," he said with a frown, switching his mouthful of bready sweetness to the other side of his cheek. "I have a lot more stuff than I thought. And I didn't know I was gonna be moving..." He slid a glance toward Raidou, setting aside the syrup and pushing his sunglasses up on his head. He took another bite of his rolled pancake, a little hesitant to ask even though Raidou had offered the night before. He hated asking for things, but he didn't feel stressed at the moment...

Still, those bastards had canceled his lease, and all his stuff was supposed to be out by noon. "I, uh, don't suppose if you have time...?" he muttered around his bite.

Wait. Damn. He'd swallowed his gum with his last mouthful.

Raidou watched pride battle it out with a few other emotions and grabbed his own breakfast, absently counting down. He got to five when Kaito managed the teenage-boy equivalent of asking a favour.

"Seeing as how my current focus is pretty much you," he said dryly, "yeah. I have time. If you're up to a making a few clones, I bet we can get it done in one trip." A decent night's sleep and Genma's sweet tea had done wonders for his own chakra reserves, and the kid was younger. He probably felt even better.

Raidou leaned back against the counter, chewing a pancake thoughtfully as he regarded his new charge. He'd spend a decent chunk of the day before reading over Kaito's file, but there was a lot of difference between paperwork and the real thing.

"So," he said, with little preamble, "tell me about you."

As will often happen when asked such a broad question, Kaito's mind went completely blank. He stabbed the whole stack of pancakes with his fork, lifting them and taking a chomp out. "Umm." He chewed while he thought, and thought of very little.

With them both leaning against the counters, they were of a height--even if Raidou was broader through the chest and shoulders.

Eventually, Kaito shrugged. "I dunno. I got a couple half brothers. Mom and step-dad. How about you?"

"Had a mom and a step-dad," said Raidou evenly. "Still have three half-brothers." He'd wondered, yesterday, after talking to Genma, if that had been one of the reasons Intel had chosen him for this particular hoop-jump; there was more than one similarity between him and the kid. "Though they're all a lot younger than you."

Five years difference for the oldest. So maybe not a lot younger, but enough for it to count.

He considered, absently shredding a pancake between his hands and eating it in pieces. "Graduated when I was ten," he offered back. "Like to read trashy novels. And I hate cats. You?"

Kaito's absently wandering gaze steadied on Raidou when he mentioned his parents. Brothers, huh. He seemed like the brother type.

His eyebrows rose at the end. "Trashy novels? I'm scared. Really." Then he added, "Me, I prefer cats. Dogs are big and furry. Lots of teeth. Kinda smell." Which didn't begin to cover his issues with them, but it was good enough.

It was hard to take a ninja who was afraid of dogs seriously.

"Graduated when I was twelve. Uh..." He ate another pancake. "Moved into my current apartment when I was sixteen." Moved into his first apartment at fifteen, but that one had been crappy. He tried to think of something else, and when that didn't work glanced at Raidou instead. "How old're your brothers?"

Raidou had to think for a second. "Thirteen, eleven, and eight," he said finally. "The oldest, Jiro, is a genin, and very happy to spend all his time mooning over one of his teammates." He grinned crookedly. "The others are still in the academy."

He filed away Kaito's comment about dogs and made a mental note to keep him away from Tsume. And that Hatake kid.

Which was a shame, he wouldn't have minded Tsume's help.

Least he still had Genma's.

"And don't put down my novels until you read them," he added. "They're plenty scary. I mean, the grammar alone..." He snorted quietly at Kaito's Yeah, right face and shredded another pancake. "What about your brothers?"

Kaito shrugged. "They're nice, for little brothers, I guess. Rafu is eight and Senichi's nine. They were too young to have personalities yet when I headed out." He eyed the syrup, then set his plate down to pour more sticky brown liquid over his last few bites.

"My mom didn't want more kids for the longest time. I think she had this vague sorta hope that once I graduated and moved out, the clan'd take her back but..." He shook his head and stuffed his mouth. "Tha' di'n' ha'en." He chewed and swallowed. "I mean, she married my step-dad before I graduated anyway, but I think she figured it out. Or he convinced her. I dunno." He rolled his eyes. "They'd been living together for like, two years anyway. She was just on crack."

He stuffed the last of the pancake in his mouth, then scooped up all the syrup he could on his finger and licked it off. "Those're pretty good," he said, gesturing at the now-empty platter. "'Least as good as that guy at the diner."

"Considering the guy at the diner--" there was only one diner that made affordable pancakes in Konoha, "--offers food poisoning for a bargain price, I'm not quite feeling the compliment." Raidou's lips twitched as he gathered both plates and stacked them in the sink. The syrup went back into the cupboard, and the butter took its place in his tiny fridge. He'd already washed the frying pan.

"Sounds like you don't get on with your family too well," he said, leaning back against the counter. The conclusion wasn't exactly a hard one to reach, especially with the kid's brief rattling around in his head. ANBU were pretty anal about keeping tabs on people's families; they were the one trigger everyone had in common.

'Clan issues' mostly covered Kaito. It couldn't be easy being a half-breed in a village where people liked their bloodlines unscrambled. And considering the kid's issues, Raidou could see why.

But there was no information on the kid's dad, though, which was interesting. The mother must have been pretty good at keeping secrets.

"You still see them?" he asked, honestly curious.

A frown flickered over Kaito's face. He got along with them all right. As all right as anyone did, he guessed.

He shrugged at the question, twiddling his fork before popping it in his mouth and speaking around it. "I see 'em. Y'know, holidays and birthdays and stuff. We get along all right." The urge to defend them was sort of half-focused. They were his family, and if he hadn't had this stupid half-bloodline they'd have gotten along great.

If he hadn't had the half-bloodline, he might have been dead and his mother still with her clan. His frown drew tighter across his expression, eyebrows flickering in. He sucked hard on the tines, absently hoping he could leach some of the sugar-taste out, but silver was unforgiving.

Then he shook his head, snapping himself out of his musings. "They have their own thing going now, anyway. So, y'know, that's good. Don't have to be bothered with 'em." He grinned, though it didn't quite touch his eyes, and set the fork in the sink.

"So--think maybe we could go get my stuff?"

Raidou tossed 'family issues' into his rapidly growing mental folder about the kid and drew a big red circle around it. Then he headed for the door. He wasn't exactly getting paid to play shrink, here, which was a damn good thing because he wasn't a shrink, but being too nosy for your own good fell squarely into big brother territory, and the kid had to talk to someone...

He glanced at his watch as he pulled the door open, and resisted the urge to roll his eyes at himself. A day and half, that's how long it took him to give a damn about someone. Less, really, if you counted his efforts at the hospital. ANBU sure knew how to pick their people.

Probably they assigned you because you're solid, and the kid sounds like he's desperately in need of leadership by example.

Right. Better make a start.

"If you're planning on bringing furniture over," he warned, and stood aside to let the kid pass, "I'm making you carry it."

Kaito looked up, alarmed. "I thought the apartments all came with like, a futon an' stuff, right? I mean, I suppose I could bring my furniture over..." But he'd heard stories about roaches laying eggs in the stuff, and he didn't figure the other ANBU would appreciate the introduction of the pests.

Not that they were so bad, really, once you got used to them. Just a beetle, was all.

He scurried out after Raidou anyway, watching the man lock his door. It was a little disappointing. Some of the other doors had seals painted all around them, and Kaito'd been hoping for some kind of chakra trick, but it was only a deadbolt.

Raidou added hugely gullible to the kid's folder after a second to realize Kaito wasn't actually kidding, and headed down the hallway. "It'll be furnished, kid. It won't be fancy--" he glanced over his shoulder and decided Kaito definitely wouldn't care. "But it'll be decent enough. Counters without cracks, bed with springs... everything a growing body needs."

He ignored the lift and headed down the stairs, feeling the stitches in his back pull a little with each step. The kid followed him without hesitation, which was nice. Either he was starting to trust Raidou a speck, or he wasn't quite gutsy enough to throw up a fuss. Either way, it meant the day might prove a little more peaceful.

He paused by the main doors, shoving one open and holding it there. "You wanna lead the way?"

"Yeah, sure," Kaito said, taking a quick double-step to get in front.

Furniture was definitely a plus. Atsuo was going to be so jealous. Maybe Kaito'd give him the futon--it still had most of the stuffing, even if the frame was broken. That so hadn't been his fault, either. And, really, even if it wouldn't fold out anymore it was plenty long enough to sleep on.

Yeah, Atsuo probably wouldn't want it. Maybe he'd just leave it in the apartment and whoever moved in next could have it.

He walked with long, relaxed strides, tucking his hands in the low pockets of his jeans and grinning at Raidou. "I guess ANBU takes care of their guys, right? I mean, there's a cafeteria and all, and I could totally buy new things with what they pay." Nice things. Maybe one of those awesome lights that had the goo that floated up and down in water inside the lamp part. A purple one. Maybe they came in multiple colors!

And he could get a new chair! Sure, his current one was pretty good--big enough to sprawl in, and it went back most of the way if you just shoved hard enough--but he was still pretty sure that stain was blood no matter what Atsuo said. "Hey!" He turned, catching Raidou's attention with a whack on his arm. "I bet I could totally get like, an arcade game in another couple'a missions, huh? One of those big ones! I saw 'em for sale at this warehouse and I bet they're still there."

Raidou was known--by those that actually knew him--for being one of the nicer deadly ninja to come through ANBU's non-too-gentle hands and make it out the other side alive--but he still almost took Kaito's head off when the kid smacked his arm. He stopped his hand at the last second, only slightly surprised to find it up and heading for the kid's throat.

"Lesson number one," he said after a beat, "don't do anything that'll get you killed." He dropped his hands into his pockets. "Which includes kicking a sleeping bear in the chops, or poking any ANBU agent anywhere--unless you get the go-ahead."

Wisdom of the day imparted, he fell back into step and ran over what the kid had actually said. Video games. Buying things. Another newbie all lit up at the sudden prospect of incoming wealth. Well, Raidou could relate, even if he'd sent almost every scrap he'd earned home. Still did, if it came to that. But he was trying not to think about that right now.

"Might wanna splash out on weapons first, brat," he advised. "Or clothes. Or books. Learn something else useful."

Kaito scratched at the back of his head sheepishly. "Right. No poking." Which just sounded so wrong. His blush was more embarrassing than his words, even. "But I have weapons," he continued rapidly, hoping to keep from coming across as a complete rookie. "I'm pretty good with those, really. I mean--I'd thought originally it was why they let me into ANBU but..." His excitement faded a little and he turned, walking faster without looking at Raidou.

"But, y'know, I'm here and all now, right? So once they figure out this stupid bloodline thing isn't helpful, they'll let me work on weapons stuff instead."

He wasn't even going to touch the suggestion of books. What kind of ninja learned things from books, anyway? Weren't you supposed to learn from other people? Definitely were. And he had plenty of clothes, even if his jeans were ripped. It made them comfortable.

His building wasn't far off, though not in the area of town most ninja lived in. That was all right--he was good with this area. Street brats and muggers didn't mess with him--or hadn't, once he'd made it clear they shouldn't. It had been a great first few weeks.

The security door had long since broken; he shoved it open with his shoulder against the glass and a screech of metal across the floor, then bounced up the stairs. His apartment was on the third floor. Biggest one, too. He yanked the eviction notice off with a scowl and dug his keys out of his pocket.

Weapons, Raidou thought as he followed the kid through a building that probably should've been left to fall down years ago. Weapons were good. Weapons were something he could actually help with. If the kid liked weapons, Raidou could use that--

And now he sounded like Intel. Which was never a thought that led to good places.

He ran a hand over his mouth and chin, and leaned against the wall as Kaito wrestled his door open. There were no seals guarding the place, but Raidou doubted the kid actually had anything worth stealing.

The lock popped. He followed the kid into his place and amended the thought; the kid had nothing worth keeping. Trash on the floor. Food on the counters. Clothes thrown on any surface flat enough to hold them. It looked like someone had taken a student's apartment and thrown it through a meatgrinder--and then stomped on the results.

"Huh," said Raidou, after a long careful second. He eyed the clutter of half-filled bin bags sitting on bare wooden boards. Sure you don't want to toss a match and run? begged to be said. He clamped his teeth together and picked up three bags instead. "Got much more to pack?"

Kaito glanced at Raidou, grinning with pride at the place that was all his. Raidou wasn't looking nearly as impressed as Kaito felt. He turned and looked back at the studio apartment.

"Not much more," he said finally, wondering if there was anything. Should he take the paper plates? Toilet paper? Probably. What about the light bulbs? There hadn't been any when he'd moved in...

"This place was empty when I got here," he said, grinning at Raidou again. "So much better than my last place, too. Seriously, like twice the size." And he hadn't had to share! "Even a stove," he said, and gestured at its two burners before scooping a handful of clothes into another trash bag. "And there's like, public baths just down the block." Which had been great, since he didn't have a shower.

What else? Posters. He yanked pins off the walls and crammed them, then the posters, into a bag as well, then got the toilet paper out of the bathroom and shoved it in, too. Was that everything? Maybe he should take his pillow. He'd been planning on buying a new one 'cause his old one was flat, but if he didn't have time today...

Had he remembered his pajamas? Yeah. Surely. He looked around, trying to see if he'd left anything else, and felt a pang. "The old guy who owns the place is always trying to evict people, but he doesn't really mean it. You just gotta talk to him and he changes his mind..." Kaito hesitated, lingering. It was his first good apartment, and he hadn't expected to leave just yet... ANBU would be better, but, well, there were a lot of memories here. "And, y'know, there's the diner." Grease on a spoon, and Kaito'd gotten sick after eating there a couple of times, but it was mostly good.

He chewed on a nail and glanced at the ninja in the doorway. Even in civvies, Raidou looked the part: all muscles and leashed danger. Kaito stopped chewing his nail and tried to draw himself upright, too, but guessed he didn't come close to looking the part. Damn it. "I guess that's everything," he said finally.

Six bin bags, one heavy and clunking with weapons, didn't amount to much of a life, but the kid still treated them like they were stuffed with gold. Raidou figured he better do the same. He grabbed four, making sure to leave the two heaviest for the kid so he didn't whine, and ran a last glance over the wreck of a room.

So much better than my last place.

Maybe ANBU wasn't exactly the live forever option, but it still beat out some things. A lot of things. Which is why he didn't laugh when the kid tried to stretch himself up to his full five-eleven, shifting his arms so muscles pressed noticeably against cloth. Kaito had turned his bastardized genjustu on the building owner to stay--here.

Raidou headed for the door. If the worst happened, at least the kid wouldn't have to beg to stay in the black and bone. They were loyal, if nothing else.

"We'll ditch your stuff," he said, adjusting the set of his shoulders so the bags hung evenly, "then head down to a training field. You can show me just how good you are." He pulled up a quick grin. "And if you suck, at least you'll sleep where you drop tonight. Everybody wins."

Kaito snorted and hefted the last two bags, hoping they didn't tear before they got back to HQ.

HQ. Him. With his own apartment. Atsuo was going to be so jealous.

He glanced at Raidou sidelong as they left the building, trying not to look back once more. It was just a building, after all.

Raidou didn't look annoyed about anything. Maybe orders were orders, and he didn't care about playing babysitter and pretend friend. Kaito relaxed slightly, giving a negligent shrug--or trying, except the bags made it awkward. "We supposed to train? S'at part of our buddy thing? 'Cause we don't have to. I mean, I can totally train on my own. There's like, a gym and stuff, right? Sure someone wouldn't mind sparring..."

Because he didn't want to drag Raidou into doing things he wasn't interested in. He'd had enough of that.

On the other hand, if Raidou didn't mind...

HQ. Him. On his own. With maybe someone else who didn't mind hanging around.

"If you're afraid I'll kick your ass, kid, just say so. It's okay, everybody gets scared. I'm a frightening guy." Raidou glanced over his shoulder and grinned properly this time, a wide one that showcased all his teeth. "Actually, you better not back out. Last two times I trained with someone I made them cry. If I can get you going that makes a hat-trick and then I can get a t-shirt..."

He'd felt the faintest tug in his chest, just for a moment: the kid's mood dipping, probably. His bloodline flickering. But either he wasn't stressed enough for it to kick into gear, or Raidou was getting a whole lot better at shaking it off.

He brought a foot down harder than he had to, anyway, and jarred his back. Pain woke up with bright little fangs as the kid puffed up and protested, and the edge of feeling went away. He was definitely going to have to get those senbon off Genma, or anything small and sharp he could nick himself with on a regular basis.

With any luck, he was going to end up with cutter on his psych profile.

That'd still be better than fuzzy, manipulated sheep.

He stopped by the front desk to let the kid get his key, then led the way back up to the third floor. Room three-nineteen. He stood to one side of the door and let his bin bags land carefully around his feet.

"Welcome home."