| [May. 1st, 2009|02:29 pm] |
Genma's rise to see his guest to the door was slow and pained, but there was still grace to his motion. He stretched his back and lifted his head, letting a wince flow into a tired smile. "Should I look for a written invitation? If you give me a little advance warning, I could look up some obscure classical tanka to recite. But then that would be cheating." He chuckled and held the door open for Natsumi, bowing to her with one hand wrapped close against his bruised side.
"The blossoms should be really hitting their stride in a week or two, if this rain lets up. Course I'll probably have another mission or three by then, but so will you." There was no irony to his tone. That was ANBU. That was the life he'd lived for going on five years, the one Natsumi had signed up for. Her quiet bow and slight smile in return said all that needed to be said about her acceptance of that fact.
"Don't let Kaito give you any trouble, and tell me if he does," Genma added, as she started into the hall. "I'll keep him in line." Another yawn stretched over his face before he could say more. Natsumi gave his open doorway a pointed glance, and raised one hand in a soft, restrained wave. He could almost read her thoughts: Go on back to bed, Genma-senpai.
Genma returned the wave and slipped back inside, pushing the door closed and leaning against it for a moment. He was exhausted, but it had been worth it, to meet Kaito's girl. Funny day, really. His muscles twitched and trembled with weariness; he didn't bother to clean up the tea things before crawling back under his quilts and blankets. For a moment he lay still, thinking about Natsumi and Kaito and their rescue mission. His eyes drifted closed, his breathing deepened. Missions like that, you never forgot. Never really got over. And never talked about. But some people understood without having to be told. His thoughts broke up like smoke rising from a stick of incense. Rain beat a lullaby against his windowpane. For a moment, just as he fell asleep, he thought of Raidou. |
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