| [Feb. 8th, 2010|10:02 pm] |
Kakashi felt his eyebrow twitch. "You didn't check?" he echoed tightly.
There was a flicker of stillness from the woman. She gave him a look, one fine black eyebrow raising. "I don't like hospitals, and I don't think he wanted me around."
Kakashi closed his teeth on a So what? His rules weren't everyone's rules. Not everyone stayed, even for an injured teammate. Even though they should. Even though it was the right thing to do--
He cut that thought off before it carried his control away with it. Questions took its place, ones he'd never pictured himself wanting to ask. Did you know each other before? Did you instigate it, or did he? Did you leave teethmarks on my--
His what?
Ryouma wasn't his anything. No strings, no complications, no early deaths -- that had been the deal, nothing more. Probably much less, now, given the way Ryouma had run so hard. Straight into the arms of a woman.
Well, an almost-woman.
Kakashi raked a grass-stained hand through his hair and eyed Katsuko. She was as sweaty as he was, about as lean, more scarred -- more obviously scarred, anyway; it looked like someone had once taken an acid-whip to both her forearms. She was watching him warily, or just wearily, though half-lidded brown eyes and a messy fall of hair. Waiting for his next move.
It would have been nice, Kakashi reflected, if he knew what the hell his next move was.
She smelled like throttled anger. He thought briefly of dogs, and tearing throats out. Of people, and talking things over. Of Ryouma making a choice, and Kakashi making another, and the liklihood that Katsuko was owed one, too.
I don't think he wanted me around.
"Do you want him?" he asked finally. It wasn't an offer. |
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