Genma sat up, too, with his back to the open yard. He was open to attack, but Raidou could see any threat that approached. Ryouma, raw and unexpectedly honest, was the truly vulnerable one.

“Taichou’s right,” Genma said. “You can’t fight the sea.”

Ryouma laughed hoarsely. “We fought it pretty well in Kirigakure.”

“We didn’t try to pretend it was air, though,” Genma countered. “We went into it expecting waves, and when we left it, it was still the sea. Only we came away different than we’d gone in.” He put a hand on Ryouma’s shoulder, half for comfort, and half because in their studying together, he’d learned Ryouma seemed to listen better when touched. “ANBU is hard. Your rookie year is the hardest. It changes you. I think the biggest change for me was figuring out how to keep thinking of myself as a good person, mission after mission. And how to keep thinking the world was full of good people.”

Ryouma kept his gaze on the polished boards of the porch floor. “I know there’s still good people in the world. That’s the team.”

“What about you?” Raidou asked.

“Taichou,” Ryouma said with a crooked smile. “I’ve never been a good person.”

“You’re good enough, Ryouma,” Raidou said.

Genma rubbed Ryouma’s back in small circles, feeling the edges of a shoulder blade, firm muscles anchoring the bone, and through the thin cloth of Ryouma’s uniform shirt, knots of scar marking the countless times Ryouma had put his life on the line for Konoha’s sake.

“Only the good worry they are bad. The truly bad don’t think about it at all,” Genma said. “You said the team is good. Ryouma, you’re one of the team.”

Ryouma didn’t respond immediately. He sat, head bowed, taking slow breaths that shuddered through him under Genma’s hand. Genma just kept rubbing careful circles, and waited. Eventually Ryouma lifted his head. “You’re good officers, y’know. You make things sound possible.”

Raidou reached over and knocked his knuckles against the top of Ryouma’s ANBU tattoo. “Someday you might even listen to us.”

Genma chuckled. “We can only hope.” He patted Ryouma’s back a couple of times like he was trying to push good humor back through Ryouma’s skin.

Amazingly, it seemed to work.

“I listen plenty,” Ryouma scoffed. “I just don’t always obey.” He got to his feet and stood for a moment, looking down at his officers, then said in a low voice, “Thanks.” With more volume, he declared, “I'm gonna go turf Kakashi out of the bath before he prunes.”

Genma saluted him. “Enjoy. You can use any soap you like, too, once Fussy Nose-san is out of there. I like your blackberry and rhubarb soap.”

Ryouma’s face lit with a swift smile. “He said he didn’t mind the fruit or herb ones so much as the flowers, so it’s lemongrass and rosemary this time. I’ll leave it for you.”