| [Jan. 26th, 2009|01:51 pm] |
A decade and more of knowing Natsumi--genin teammates living in close quarters, watching her back, studying her every mood--had taught Ibiki enough about her to know how hard it must have been for her to say that.
It was a much bigger deal than he'd expected, that the nineteen month gap in their closeness--when he'd joined ANBU and started keeping secrets from her-- hadn't been enough to estrange them.
"I'm glad you're here," he said quietly. Meaning every word. He smiled and stretched, unfolding from the chair to see her to the door.
"Botan Garden seems like a good place to celebrate your promotion. My treat, although really I should take you someplace fancier. But uh..." He glanced guiltily at his models. "I just bought a kit for a Regal Era Wind Country racing yacht..."
Natsumi's sober face lit up with a bright laugh as she picked up her bath bucket. Ibiki chuckled with her, tugging on his hair. "Go take your bath, and we can walk over to the restaurant together when you're dry. You know where to find me now."
When she'd gone and Ibiki had shut his door, he leaned back against it, and laughed with relief. There was at least one person now--one very important person--he didn't have to lie to. |
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