| [Apr. 22nd, 2018|09:25 pm] |
It was colder than it looked.
Shivering, they bent and scrubbed in the dark water, and Ryouma heroically did not make sad comments about the lack of soap. Fortunately, the fight with the tanuki had left plenty of dirt. They didn't need to be immaculate; they just had to achieve acceptable mission-levels of grime, which was doable in pond water and moonlight.
When they splashed back to dry, leech-less land, Kakashi re-stowed his weaponry and studied the final result with a critical eye. Grubby but less obviously sex-rumpled. Ryouma’s turtleneck ANBU shirt hid his throat. There wasn’t much they could do about his mouth or the scratch on his jaw, but he splashed cold water on his face. Kakashi poked one of his own shoulders, and couldn’t decide if the pleasant aches from Ryouma’s hard grip were going to turn into bruises or not. They’d probably blend in with the aftermath of the wolves, if they did.
He kept wanting to touch Ryouma. Not in any particularly sexy way; he just wanted his hands on Ryouma, wanted them skin-to-skin, wanted…
He yawned, surprising himself.
Sleep. Preferably on Ryouma. Which wouldn’t raise any officer eyebrows, of course not. Or cause Kurenai to make notes.
He rubbed his face. “Bonfire? It’ll be warm.”
“And comes with a side of judgemental officers, I bet,” Ryouma said, but cheerfully. He seemed relaxed, in a loose-limbed, amiable way, as if they’d quieted whatever mental itch usually kept him fidgety and restless. He stooped to gather up the discarded cups and bandages, looked around for something to do with them, and then prosaically shoved his cup down the front of his own pants again.
“I’m open to suggestions,” Kakashi said.
“Judgemental officers are fine! What’re they gonna do, ground us from the next mission? Anyway, Sakamoto told me it’s not actually against the rules.” Ryouma handed Kakashi his own cup. “Are your dogs gonna disapprove?”
‘Sakamoto says it’s okay’ was not their most stellar argument, Kakashi reflected, since it would give the officers hives. Even if he was right. Kakashi had studied ANBU’s regulations; there was nothing in them that prohibited fraternization outright.
“Depends on the dog,” he said, since that was the more important question anyway. “Probably not. Kin’s already adopted you. Pakkun will have opinions, but you’re allowed to ignore them.”
“Pretty sure Pakkun thinks I’m an idiot, but, y’know, maybe he’ll be okay with me being your idiot.” Ryouma paused.
Kakashi paused.
The wind blew swift, silver ripples over the surface of the pond.
Ryouma said, “Not that I’m staking any claims. Just let me know. Do you want a hand with that cup?”
Smooth. Kakashi had reserved the right to change his mind, but, looking briefly inward, he didn’t find the desire to. Nerves, yes. Uncertainty, yes. But also curiosity, excitement, and a very definitive list of things he wanted to try next.
He stowed the cup back into place, leaned deliberately and reassuringly against Ryouma’s side, and said, “We’ll figure out definitions later. Right now, you owe me a gentlemanly walk to the fire and pillow talk.” He considered this. “Also a pillow.” |
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