| [Jan. 20th, 2009|08:56 pm] |
"Just take it easy," Tsume murmured, watching her familiar with half-lidded eyes as he rolled in nearly dead grass. "Remember yesterday? I don't want to carry you home again."
He stopped belly-up, legs flopping every which way and showing his bits to the world. "You didn't carry me home last time," he pointed out in a satisfied rumble. "That little pup did. He was cute. I like him."
One eyebrow twitched. "Did you now." It wasn't quite a question.
Kuromaru seemed to miss the subtext. "I did. I mean, if you like him more than Ryouma. He seems nice enough."
He hadn't tried to fling her at anyone since they'd arrived and he'd set his attention to the tattooed shinobi. She'd hoped ANBU was keeping him busy enough not to meddle in her love life--but apparently not. "He's half my age, Kuro."
"That's bad?"
"Yes."
"Oh." Kuromaru twisted to look at her, still belly up. "You've been sleeping with Ryouma." From anyone else, 'sleeping with' would have meant sex. From Kuromaru, it just meant sleeping with.
Tsume nodded, soaking up the sun. She'd been taking things that smelled like Ryouma to Kuromaru in the hospital. So far, so good. There hadn't been any more... whatever that had been, when he'd seen the ninja. She didn't really want to talk about it, though, if they could avoid the subject. She wasn't ready to test how solid Kuromaru was feeling; not on his first day discharged from the hospital for good.
"Do you like Ryouma?"
A sigh lifted and dropped her ribcage. "Kuromaru..."
They caught the scent at the same time. The canine rolled upright, single ear pricked. Tsume's eyes opened, nostrils flaring as she searched for it again. As one, they came to their feet and moved out of the forest at a trot--nowhere near the easy, loping gait they should have had, but close enough. Close enough, considering the damage they'd been through.
It took a moment to track the smell, to find the laughter that was easy to follow on a moving target. The rooftops near HQ. Of course rooftops. There was no way she could climb one in her current state.
"Oi!" she bellowed instead, and heard giggles turn into shrieks.
"MOM!" |
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