| [Mar. 5th, 2018|04:31 am] |
Raidou rubbed a hand over his face. “Don’t even say it. We don’t need another complication.”
Kurenai was starting to look amused. “You could go interrupt this ‘deep important conversation’ and find out.”
“Or I could drown myself,” Raidou grumbled. “That would be equally fun.”
Genma reached over to grasp his shoulder, possibly in an attempt to be soothing. “Don’t overheat. Also, it wouldn’t be the first time teammates ever hooked up in ANBU.”
Raidou glanced at him sidelong. “Hokage’s quasi-adopted protégé. Melty-handed orphan with abandonment issues.”
“Yondaime-sama was the one who put them on this team together,” Genma said reasonably. “I doubt he did it blindly.”
Pakkun floated out to the center of the pool, still lying on his back. “Next time I see him, I’ll tell him you think he’s trying to get the kid laid.”
Genma actually slapped a hand over his face. “That’s not what I said.”
“It was underneath,” Pakkun said happily. He rolled back onto his belly and paddled to the opposite side of the pool, where he scrambled awkwardly up onto the side. He sprawled on the stones with his long pink tongue hanging out, panting. “Don’t panic yourselves. The kid’s still learning how to make people-friends. Tousaki’ll probably survive.”
So long as he didn't offer any more limbs to carnivorous deities, Raidou thought. Kakashi had never squandered an opportunity to kick Ryouma around the training fields, but at least he'd drawn the line at demanding blood sacrifice.
But also...
Raidou remembered the moment right after the white wolf's demand, before the grey wolf had bitten him back to health. Kakashi had grabbed Ryouma and shaken him, even more frantic than Raidou had felt. And Raidou had felt pretty frantic. They probably needed a moment alone, as much as Raidou needed to keep glancing at Genma, just to make sure he was still here.
The air was starting to chill again. Raidou said, “I could use another round in the springs. Care to join me?” He tilted his head to include Kurenai. “Both of you.”
Genma looked at him, hesitating for a brief moment, then smiled. “You’re on.” He slid back down into the water, taking the center position, and stretched his arms out along the ledge on both sides. “The rookies will be fine without us. Who knows when we’ll get another chance to enjoy a hot spring with friends?”
Kurenai gave a little hum of agreement and took a place on Genma’s right, leaning her head back against the inner crook of his elbow. She sighed softly. “Agreed.”
Raidou settled in on Genma's left, hissing as the water burned pleasantly up to his collarbones. He was a little regretful he hadn't taken the middle spot himself, but he could hardly deny Genma.
Moments later, four cold little paws thumped down on his shoulder, followed by the soggy weight of a small dog. Pakkun draped himself so that he could dangle his legs in the water, and huffed out a breath. "This is nice," he rumbled in Raidou's ear.
Raidou rolled his eyes, but scratched the pug behind the ears and leaned back against the warm, solid wall, as the heat leached into his bones. |
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