| [May. 23rd, 2009|11:04 pm] |
"He shouldn't have," Tsume muttered, giving her familiar a dark look. She'd told him to leave it well enough alone -- by now she figured he'd have forgotten.
He panted happily and wagged his tail. "I told you Ryouma would take care of it."
"There's nothing to take--" She stopped, glaring at the far wall. Arguing with Kuromaru wouldn't help; he was determined his alpha could fix everything, now.
She turned to face Ryouma, gathering her wits for the explanation ahead. She wasn't even sure she wanted to be speaking with him -- not after learning just that morning that he was sleeping with Kakashi.
Slouched against the doorframe, he looked -- well, not quite good. Pale and tired, still. They'd only been home a short time. He smelled like astringent. Maybe he wasn't all right. All in one piece, Kakashi had told her, but if Ryouma smelled like the hospital, there had to be a reason. The urge to find out if he was all right -- if he'd been hurt, if he was hurt now, if she could help -- nearly overwhelmed her.
It wasn't any of her business. They weren't lovers, they weren't clan, they weren't family. Except--he was here asking about Morino. He was asking about her life, so she could ask--
He'd slept with Kakashi. He'd had sex with Kakashi. And she shouldn't care. It didn't matter to her. He and Kakashi had had sex before, anyway.
It was all entirely too confusing. Anger and disappointment -- not at him, but at something she couldn't name -- curled hot in her chest. Answering his question became a lifeline. At least that was something she didn't have to think about.
"It was clan matters. I got set up. Intel thought--" She scowled, shrugging. "We cleared it up, and everything's fine." And why was he asking? As if she should have come to him, as if he were pack, when he was out on missions with Kakashi having sex. Not that she cared. She didn't want any pus-infected sex!
"But you smelled bad," Kuromaru accused.
"It was Intel! It's not like they're going to make me happy!" It was easy to be angry at Kuromaru. Easier than thinking about how she felt about Ryouma.
Kuromaru stiffened. "You smelled bad."
"You-- just--" She didn't even have words for him, anymore. "You're driving me insane! Get out! Out!" Because at least if he were gone, he couldn't blab to Ryouma anymore. Had he only told Ryouma she smelled bad? Bad could mean anything. Bad didn't have to mean everything that had happened.
Kuromaru stood, tail low, ear back. "I'm going to go get my bone," he growled unhappily, and stalked past the man in the door.
Tsume didn't look at Ryouma. "I didn't tell you because it's fine. And you were gone." That last part slipped out unbidden. She winced. |
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