| [Dec. 1st, 2011|08:03 am] |
Kiyama’s blood was still drying on her hands when Katsuko slipped over the castle walls, taking the back streets and alleys of the town on her way to the east gate. The guards there were as easy to slip past as the last time; she breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that she didn’t have to slit any more throats tonight. She circled the long way round and climbed the rocks to the little cave they’d chosen as their rendezvous point, slipping her mask off as she ducked into the entrance.
Their mission packs were stowed behind a large pile of rocks further in, disguised with a light concealment jutsu and a judicious application of dirt; Katsuko dug up a couple of sanitary wipes from hers and set about trying to clean the crusted blood from her hands. She managed to get most of it off, but her nails were a loss: little half-moons of dark crimson remained trapped under the cuticles. Propping her swords against the wall, Katsuko dropped into a loose tailor’s seat to wait for the rest of her team.
Fifteen minutes later, quiet footsteps outside and the faint flare of Hajime’s chakra made her look up from her studied contemplation of the floor. Genma ducked in first, expression unreadable, and went straight for his backpack and armor. Hajime came in after, calm and unruffled. “No complications?” he asked Katsuko.
She nodded. “Got in, got out. Came here.”
Genma looked at her, then Hajime, then moved even further into the shadows to strip off. His hair was sweaty and lank, and he smelled like sex. Digging his canteen out from his pack, he slopped water on a fistful of sanitary wipes and started cleaning himself off, brisk and efficient. Feeling Katsuko’s gaze on him, he looked up and met her eyes with a flat stare.
Katsuko nodded at him and looked away, leaning back against the cave wall. “Clean getaway?” she asked Hajime.
“No complications.” Hajime wasn’t looking at her, instead watching Genma with an assessing gaze. When the Eros agent had finished cleaning himself off and started pulling his armor on, Hajime stepped in and laid a hand on his shoulder, speaking to him in a low voice. Whatever he said made Genma’s posture relax, just a bit.
Katsuko waited until Hajime had moved off to start changing and Genma had gotten all of his armor on before getting to her feet, taking her swords with her as she moved to Genma’s side. As he looked at her, puzzled, she dug into her belt-pouch for her stash of chocolate (a little squishy, but still edible) and held out a wrapped piece to him in silent inquiry.
Genma gazed down at it like he had no idea what it was; after a minute, though, a surprised smile lifted the corners of his mouth and he reached out to take it. "Thanks." The plastic wrapping crinkled as he ripped it open, biting into the little dark square. "Everything went okay on your end?"
“Yup. Didn’t even have to use my chakra, for the most part.” Katsuko took out a piece of chocolate for herself and paused, looking down at the blood caught underneath her nails, before offering it to Genma instead. “You want another? Not really hungry.”
He looked down at her hands. "I have a nail brush, if you want to use it."
Her fingers twitched. “Really?” Katsuko asked, surprised, then caught herself. “I mean— thanks. I’d appreciate it.” |
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