| [Jan. 31st, 2012|06:34 am] |
“Yes,” Katsuko said, dazedly, still replaying the image of sleek muscles moving under pale, scar-cut skin. “Yes, they do.” After a moment, she blinked and looked down at Ryouma. “How much do I have to pay you to drop something in front of him and make him bend over to pick it up?”
Ryouma was still grinning up at the ceiling. "A-rank mission rate. We need to start savin' for our retirement."
“At least you’re pimping him out for a good cause,” Katsuko said, mentally calculating her savings. “You want a house out in the country or a classy condo?”
"Save your money,” Ryouma said, gaze refocusing on her. His smile sharpened, hard-edged steel lurking underneath easy humor. “You're gonna need it to hire us to go after Kaminari with you."
It was too early in the morning to deal with something like this. Katsuko sat back, mixed gratitude and shock closing up her throat. “You don’t...” she said, and looked down at her hands. A fuzzy memory from last night resurfaced, a glimpse of Kakashi’s face hovering over hers like a shield.
When you go after Kaminari, tell me. I want to help you break her in half.
“I don’t understand,” she said at last. “Why would you-- for me?”
Cloth rustled, and Katsuko looked up to see Kakashi, fully dressed, leaning against the bathroom doorframe with his arms crossed. He met her eyes and said, quietly, “Because he doesn't like it when his friends get hurt.”
Water trickled down her temple, and Katsuko realized that the washcloth was still clinging damply to her forehead. She gave a strangled laugh and tugged it off, twisting it in her hands. “You’re both crazy,” she said. “Springing this on a girl before breakfast.”
"Well, I would've told you before, if you'd invited me to the party," Ryouma said, not even trying to make his attempt at disgruntlement convincing. One large hand rubbed soothing circles over her knee, easing some of the tension knotted underneath her breastbone. "Get off me, an' I'll make you breakfast."
"I'll make breakfast.” Kakashi eyed both of them, what little she could see of his face extremely unimpressed. "You can fix my apartment. And you better hope you haven't ruined any of my scrolls."
“Noooo,” Katsuko said, and rolled off of Ryouma to collapse on the bed. She dragged the covers up over her head, grumpily. “I only crinkled them a little bit.”
"You sure you want me arrangin' all that?" Ryouma asked Kakashi. |
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