"Any questions?"
From Kotetsu's face, I could tell that the briefing had been long and tedious enough. Still, I might have forgotten something important. I wasn't used to briefing anyone. I had never been a leader, after all. Members of the Genin Corps were followers for life, which had never been a problem for me... until I had to coordinate a mission without any experience in doing so.
"Yes, Maiko-san. Who's the team leader?"
Case in point…
I looked down at Itachi, hiding my embarrassment at this oversight behind a grin. "Izumo-kun's the chuunin in charge but, like I said, since you have some experience working here, he'll listen to your input." I stared at my cousin with a raised eyebrow. "Won't you?"
"Of course, Maiko-nee-chan," Izumo replied dutifully. Since he knew me so well, he added to comfort me: "We got this. We three are to do your job for a day. We'll be fine."
"I'm sure you'll be. And if you have any question, Raidou and Iwashi might be able to help you, so—"
"Yes, Maiko-san!" Kotetsu interrupted. "You already said so. We got this."
I huffed but, understanding what they were really saying, I grabbed my haori and put it on. "Alright then, I suppose I should leave you to it."
It was my first day off since I became Minato's main assistant. I needed a break, I really did. I had planned this in advance to make sure they wouldn't have anything bothersome to deal with, but still… I was worried something unexpected would come up.
Ah, well, if it did, one of them would come to find me.
They were supposed to be better prepared for the unexpected than a member of the Genin Corps, right? Adventure and action were their lifeblood or something like that. I would take my comforting routine any day rather than that bullshit! Although, I supposed that 'routine' was relative when you worked for the Hokage.
I smiled at Itachi, glad that he was free today since his sensei had had an unfortunate training accident (which didn't improve Fugaku's opinion of him). With Itachi's intelligence and Izumo's common sense, they should be able to offset Kotetsu's knack for trouble.
"I'm counting on you! See you this evening at six!"
I left the Hokage's tower with a full day in front of me and no paperwork to deal with. What's more, the weather was mercifully warm and sunny for spring. A breath of fresh air later, I skipped through the streets of Konoha, determined to enjoy it.
After grocery shopping (my kitchen had been dreadfully empty, I had been eating take-out for days), my first stop was to the Nara compound.
Yoshino welcomed me with a smile before inviting me in for tea. As I sat down on the patio at her request while she prepared a tea tray, I noticed Shikamaru sitting cross-legged in the inner courtyard with his eyes closed. I snorted and stepped down of the wooden walkway to stop behind him and, bending down, whispered in his ear: "Did you fall asleep while meditating?"
"Don't tell mum," he grumbled in a dozing murmur. I had seen him startle awake when he heard my footsteps. He opened an eye to glance at me and, seeing my grin, sighed slowly.
"Hello to you too, my little teddy bear."
I offered my hands. He grabbed them, letting me pull him up. Once on his feet, he even raised his arms in a silent "pick me up" request. I snorted, knowing that I was spoiling him by carrying his lazy ass everywhere, but I couldn't resist. I was weak for cute kids.
"How have you been? Is everything going well with your mum?"
"It's better," he mumbled against the soft skin of my neck as he rested his head on my shoulder. "But obaa-san has been silly."
I sat down on the pillow lying on the patio. "Your dad's mom? How so?"
"She screamed at mum while dad wasn't here. I had to tell her to leave," he explained with such a put-upon sigh that it sounded like it had been a terrible effort.
"You… what?" I blinked down at him in surprise.
"She woke me up from my nap," he said like it explained everything.
"What did you tell her exactly?" I asked, overcome by an avid curiosity.
His forehead rolled against my collarbone as he grumbled.
Yoshino appeared with a tea tray in hand. "He said, I quote, that if all she did was making me feel worse, she should leave, because he wanted a hug, and mine were better. She tried to reply but he pointed at the door with the most determined look I've ever seen on him." She kneeled on a pillow and leaned over to whisper: "I might have cried a little."
"Aww. I'm proud of you, Shikamaru-kun!" I hugged him a little tighter and dropped a kiss on his hair.
"Me too," Yoshino admitted with a tender smile and glance at her son. It struck me that, for the first time, she truly seemed loving toward him. "And so was Shikaku."
"It isn't such a big deal," Shikamaru grumbled. He sounded slightly embarrassed and kept his face hidden against my haori.
"Yes, it is," I insisted. "It takes courage to intervene in a fight between two people you like, to defend the one who needs it, and to stand your ground."
"It was the right thing to do," he replied with a shrug.
As I looked down at him, I was vividly reminded that this was the boy who would defend Chouji from bullies and accept the ostracized Naruto despite all his flaws.
"Yes, it was. Doing the right thing is something you should be proud of."
He raised his head and squinted at me. "Why? Isn't doing the right thing just… you know… how it should be?"
I hummed in agreement, pleased by his thoughtful question. "It is, but doing the right thing is often much harder than ignoring a problem. That's the easy way. And, to be honest, it's relatively common for the Nara to choose that easy way, despite their intellect, because they're lazy. Weren't you tempted, that day, to just go back to sleep somewhere you couldn't hear them?"
Shikamaru flinched and looked away from me or his mum. I gently smoothed his hair.
"The easy way's tempting. It will always tempt you. You'll sigh and groan, but in the end, you'll do the right thing."
"How do you know? How do you know I'll be brave enough to be a shinobi and fight Konoha's enemies?" he asked, staring at me so intensely that I realized this question truly bothered him.
"How? Honey, you just proved it," I replied softly. "You fought to defend someone you loved, someone who needed you."
"It's not the same thing!"
"Believe me, it is." I gently poked his nose, reminded of myself at his age, terrified at the idea of becoming a kunoichi. It wasn't for me, I thought at the time. I couldn't. I couldn't hurt anyone. Well, it turned I could. I did. If push came to shove, people were capable of things they couldn't imagine, especially in this world. "Becoming a shinobi, it's not being unafraid like you might think when you watch your dad, who always looks so calm. Becoming a shinobi, it's… taking charge of your own protection and those you love, by participating in the village's work with your personal abilities. Do you get what I mean?"
"Not sure," he admitted after a few seconds. "Some of it…"
"That's alright. We'll talk more about this when you're older if you want. In the meantime, you have to take my word for it: you'd be a great shinobi. I know so," I said with utmost confidence.
"Alright," he said before turning to the tray and pointing at the wagashi, the traditional confections served with tea. "Can I have one?"
"What do you have to say?" Yoshino retorted calmly.
"Please."
"Good," she approved before hesitating, trying to decide which one to give him. She selected a daifuku, a small rice cake stuffed with red bean paste. "Here... That's your favorite, isn't it?"
"Uh, is there bean in it?"
"Yes."
"Then no, just mochi… please."
Yoshino accepted it calmly and held out the appropriate rice cake, waiting for a "thank you" before releasing it.
I smiled softly at the domestic scene. Their relationship looked so much better, not perfect but more serene. They were both trying. Filled with joy, I dropped a kiss in Shikamaru's hair once again.
He threw me an exasperated glance. "Don't you have a boyfriend to kiss?"
"Shikamaru!" Yoshino protested.
I laughed. "Maybe, but you're a much better teddy bear."
Shikamaru huffed but didn't try to get out of my embrace; he just sprawled across my lap and kept his head far from my lips.
I chuckled and accepted the cup Yoshino was offering.
"I'm glad to see you, Maiko," she said. "Shikaku kept me up to date on the public details, but you had me worried when I heard you were in prison."
Shikamaru suddenly straightened. "What?!"
"Ah, don't worry, I was cleared," I explained while stroking his back.
He threw me a glance that conveyed a peeved "obviously".
I chuckled. "Everything's fine now, Shikamaru, I promise. Life has just been a little hectic lately."
"What's hectic?" Shikamaru grumbled, still not pacified.
"Something like busy and confusing all in one?"
Shikamaru hummed and laid back down.
"You heard about Haruka-san," I said to his mum.
"Yes," Yoshino admitted. "I'm sorry."
"Yes, well… I wanted to talk to you about that, actually. I've been promoted to first assistant since, and the Hokage asked me to find someone for the position of second assistant… You're the first person I thought of."
Yoshino froze with her cup to her chin and slowly lowered it. "I'm flattered, Maiko, but you know I can't…" She glanced at Shikamaru, who had closed his eyes as soon as we started talking about work.
"I know that you want to," I replied. "You like to work. You liked being an assistant."
"I did," she agreed without looking at me. "But this part of my life is over."
"It doesn't need to be just because traditions say so. You wouldn't be happy as a housewife."
"I have responsibilities, Maiko," she replied curtly.
I paused, aware that this was a sensitive issue, and that I was rubbing it in. Still, I persisted. "They might not be incompatible. The Hokage was thinking of taking in a third assistant later on, in which case your schedule could be more flexible. And it's not like Shikamaru is a demanding kid. You could bring him to work. He could nap and challenge anyone waiting for an appointment to a match of shogi or go. If you need to leave the office, I can look over him, or he can go visit his father for a while…"
"No," she said, "please don't insist, Maiko. I can't…" Her voice was hoarse as if she had a lump in her throat.
"Say yes."
We both looked down in surprise at Shikamaru. He was staring at his mother with half-lidded eyes.
"You want to. Say yes. I can nap anywhere. I don't care. If I want to say here, I can ask obaa-san or Kojika-nee-chan."
"Shikamaru… I can't. It's not just only you."
He sighed and rolled over to get out of my lap and crawl over to his mom. "Dad will say yes too."
I sipped my tea as Shikamaru slowly chipped away at his mother's resolve. When it appeared she was on the brink of refusing just to stop the doubt and uncertainty, I grabbed a piece of dango and stood up.
"I should go. This is my first day off in ages, you know, lots of things to do. I need an answer in two days at the latest, but take the time to think it through and talk about it with Shikaku-san, alright?" I ignored her attempts to speak and waved. "Thank you for the tea and see you later! Love you, teddybear!"
oOo
I had a date to prepare for. Genma and I had scheduled our day off at the same time for this.
I had chosen my outfit in advance (not that it was difficult to do: I didn't have much in my wardrobe besides the standard uniform and my usual work attire; that's how pathetic my social life was). I put on a pretty yukata that I didn't have the opportunity to wear before, a belated gift from the Nara for my birthday. While I had felt that it was too generous at the time, I was quite happy to wear it today. It was pretty, in soft green with pink and white flowers and a light pink obi. What's more, the gift from Genma, Rin, and Minato — the golden earrings with emeralds — was a perfect fit.
Pleased with the result, I let my hair fall freely on my shoulders.
A knock at the door announced Genma's arrival. His bandana and senbon were nowhere to be seen. While his pants looked like the standard uniform in black, he was wearing a tight black sleeveless top under an open and loose green shirt. It showed off his muscles, which was no accident.
"You look lovely."
"Thanks. You look sexy," I replied, pulling on his shirttails while craning my neck for a kiss.
He didn't disappoint. His lips brushed mine softly before he took a step forward, put a hand around my waist, and came back for a more thorough exploration. I had meant it to be tender and brief but we got a little distracted. So much so that I pulled back, chuckling and pushing him away.
"Come on, lunch first."
"Ma'am, yes ma'am."
We held hands while walking to the restaurant he had chosen. As silly as it might sound, I loved it more than I thought I would. Kakashi and Aoba had been my only relationships in this life, and none of them had been the romantic kind (although Aoba would have liked it to be). I thought I was fine with it, but this delight was proving me otherwise.
While I had never been fond of dating, doing it with someone I was so familiar with made it feel exciting and enjoyable rather than nerve-wracking. Genma had a knack to make me laugh, and awkward silence wasn't a worry.
"Uhuh, I don't believe you," I said while stealing a maki from his plate.
He took one from mine and replied: "I promise you, that's exactly what happened. She fell right into my arms, and that's the story of how my first kiss gave me a split lip."
"Alright, even if it's true, it doesn't count as a first kiss. Poor Kurenai-san, she must have been livid."
"Well, she was , but I was more scared of Asuma at the time. The glare he gave me when I tried to tease her about it… no matter that he teased her a lot ."
I snorted. "Those two have an interesting relationship," I agreed. "Still. It doesn't count. You were what… ten?"
"Yep. Alright, fine. My real first kiss… I was twelve and it was with Raidou."
"Ha! I knew it!"
"You knew what?" he asked curiously.
"That you kissed Raidou at least once."
"We were both trying to figure out our sexual orientation," he admitted with a shrug. "It turns out he mostly prefers women. Whatever. Yours?"
"Aoba," I said with a shrug of my own. He already knew that, didn't he?
"But that's not really your first, is it?"
I froze with my chopsticks in the air and chewed slowly on sushi. I realized he was talking about my previous life but… I swallowed and admitted, staring at my plate intently: "I don't really remember it. I try not to."
His hand moved to rest on mine before I could hide it under the table. I was shaking slightly.
"Sorry. I shouldn't have pried." He intertwined our fingers and squeezed gently.
"It's alright," I breathed, focused on his thumb caressing my knuckles. "It's just… easier to focus on the present, you know?"
"I do," he agreed before raising my hand to his lips and kissing the back of it.
We shared a soft smile and went back to our lunch in companionable silence.
After eating, we took the long way back to my apartment, slowly walking along the river. The weather being nice and sunny, we stopped for a while. As I sat down on the grass, Genma sat behind me with a leg on each side of me, my back resting against his chest and his arms around mine.
Despite our relaxed posture, we ended up talking about the social realities of this world and its clans. I had directed the conversation there without even thinking about it, distracted by my meeting with Yoshino this morning. I wasn't going to apologize for it: Genma would need to get used to my activism if he was serious about our relationship, and he didn't seem to mind anyway.
"So, I don't see things like everyone else," I said while finding a comfortable position with the back of my head against his shoulder. "But I wondered, for someone who hasn't been raised in a clan, what do you think of it?"
"It's tradition... and I think it's bullshit," Genma replied bluntly, "but then, my mother was an independent kunoichi. Still is. She retired from active duty when she chose to, not when a man told her so. She was the exception to the norm, though."
I hummed and took his hand in mine, playing with his calloused fingers absentmindedly. "I see…"
"Oooh, are you reading his palm?"
I startled violently at the new voice and threw a kick at the jounin who just appeared beside us.
Kakashi deftly avoided it. My geta flew a few meters away.
I cursed and glared at him. "Stop doing that!"
Genma had barely twitched, no doubt having noticed Kakashi much sooner. He chuckled at my reaction. I hit his leg for not warning me.
"My most humble apologies, Lady Seer," Kakashi mocked, pretending to fawn over me.
"Oh, shut up," I grumbled, unable to be angry with him for long. "Just get me my shoe, idiot."
With a new bow, Kakashi went to retrieve it and threw it back to me. I pulled it back on with one last glare.
"What are you doing here?" Genma asked.
"I'm doing what you suggested."
"What are you talking about?" Genma was frowning, visibly wondering what suggestion he referred to.
"You told me to do the same as you."
There was a spark of recognition and a groan. Genma was the one throwing a shuriken at Kakashi this time (no matter where he went, a shinobi was never unarmed, that he was still wearing a thigh holster was a given, my fans were in my obi). "That's not what I meant, and you know it!"
Kakashi caught the shuriken and twirled it around a finger. "Do I? I don't think I do." His voice had taken a sing-song quality which was characteristic when he was having a laugh at someone's expense.
"Want to fill me in?" I asked.
"Ignore him," Genma grumbled.
"Somehow, that never works well with him. He is stubborn and patient. Just tell me what's going on."
Genma sighed heavily. "When I told him I was going to ask you out and enjoy life, I may have told him to do the same."
"It was a beautiful speech!" Kakashi commented.
"Oh." I realized what was going on. Trust Kakashi to be a little jackass as a payback to make him deal with feelings .
"Yeah," Genma agreed, probably regretting ever speaking to his friend.
"Oooh, Kakashi, just because you're bad at asking a girl out doesn't mean you have to crash her date!" I jumped on my feet and grabbed his jacket despite his attempt to escape. He managed to destabilize me, though, and I stumbled backward, bringing him in my fall.
Genma cushioned the impact with a grunt, and I found myself in a sandwich, Kakashi lying on my lap.
After the initial shock, the ridiculousness of the situation hit me. I burst into laughter.
In between his own chuckles, Genma kissed my neck. Kakashi raised himself on an elbow and stared at us, unimpressed. It just made me laugh more while patting his hair.
"Sorry, sorry," I said when he became annoyed, "but you brought this on yourself."
"I suppose…" He sighed. "Well, in that case…" He shifted, turned around, and made himself comfortable in my lap, before pulling out a book from his belt pouch. "Don't mind me."
There was a tremor behind me. I caught Genma's hand before he could close it around Kakashi's neck.
"Don't."
"Come on, just a little," Genma pleaded.
I chuckled but shook my head. "It's alright," I breathed, craning my neck to see him. "We'll have other dates."
"And he'll crash them again?" Genma grumbled.
"Now he won't. He isn't really a people person, remember?" I raised my eyebrows pointedly, willing him to understand.
Kakashi wouldn't seek contact and company without a reason. I doubted he would be willing to explain himself, but I had learned during our short relationship to go with the flow rather than force my way through.
Genma hesitated, glanced at Kakashi who was pretending to ignore us, and finally sighed. "Alright. But I'm holding you to that next date, sweetheart."
"Of course." I offered my lips. He delivered a kiss without hesitation and shifted our hands until our fingers were intertwined.
So our date finished in an impromptu slumber party.
It could have been worse.
oOo
At six o'clock, I was at the Hokage's tower, as promised (and in work clothes, no need to attract attention with a yukata).
The afternoon had been quiet. The weather had become cloudy, and we had moved to my apartment. Kakashi had fallen asleep on the couch at some point, which led me to learn he had come back from a mission this morning. I refused to interrupt his rest, worried that his mission had been the cause for his clinginess. He might as well enjoy a good nap, free from nightmares, as much as he could.
With Kakashi asleep, Genma had used the opportunity for more kissing and nuzzling in between some quiet times. Our chuckles and whispers were hushed by necessity but felt all the more precious for it.
All in all, this had been a good day of rest. No one had come running to me about an emergency so I was quite hopeful that everything had gone well at work too.
"Maikooo-san" was the whine that greeted me as soon as I stepped into the office.
For a few seconds, I feared the worst.
All that came up was a blond rocket. One that jumped in my arms and consequently stole my breath away for a few seconds.
"Hi there, Naruto-kun," I managed to say. "What's wrong?"
He pointed behind him to the shinobi coming toward us. "Scary eyebrows!"
"Oh. Hello, Gai-san."
The jounin beamed. "Good evening, Maiko-san! How are you on this beautiful day?!"
"Fine, fine. Uh… Why are you here alone with Naruto-kun?"
"Yondaime-sama asked me to take care of his honorable son while he finished his meeting with his guards! We've been playing youthful games of rock-paper-scissors!"
"He cheats," Naruto grumbled.
"As I explained, Naruto-kun, the trick is to learn body language!"
"Alright," I interrupted before the conversation wandered. "And where are Izumo, Itachi, and Kotetsu?"
"I was asked not to reveal this information to you, Maiko-san," Gai replied very seriously.
I imagined the worst.
Naruto put his hands around my ear and whispered: "They are chasing the snakes."
"What? What snakes?!" I looked around nervously.
Footsteps behind me announced the arrival of Izumo. He was holding a cardboard box that he threw in his best friend's arms as soon as he caught sight of me. Kotetsu and the box disappeared. I'd give it to them: they made a good duo. Itachi seemed to fit right in: he was just as expressionless as Izumo, despite the suspicious glance I sent them.
"Was that hissing I heard from that box?"
"Hissing? No. Absolutely not," Izumo replied as he came to me and, with a hand on my back, redirected me toward my desk. "There was no incident today. Everything went smoothly, you had absolutely nothing to worry about."
"Izumo…"
"The paperwork you prepared is all done. Itachi took notes for you—"
"Izumo," I interrupted more firmly, "there is a snake on my chair." I was holding onto Naruto a bit more firmly than was probably comfortable.
With a curse, Izumo grabbed the animal right behind the head — as if he had done this all afternoon — and threw it out the window. "I knew we had missed one," he whispered to Itachi.
"Alright," I sighed, "spit it out, what happened?"
"Just a silly prank, nothing to worry about," Izumo said. Itachi looked up at him insistently. He sighed. "Fine. Someone freed a bunch of snakes in the office while we were distracted. We got them all, I promise. That was the last one."
"And you have no idea who it was?" I asked. I glanced at Naruto as I sat down. "It wasn't you, was it, Naruto-kun?"
The kid shook his head. "Nuhuh! Dad and Kakashi-nii-san said no playing with animals! And Itachi-nii-san said you didn't like snakes! And Iruka-nii-san said it was mean to do scary pranks so it's only for mean people!"
"Good, good," I approved, petting his hair. "Never mind," I told my replacements. "I have some ideas. I'll deal with this later. Gai-san, can you still take care of Naruto-kun for a while?"
"Nooo, I want to stay with you," Naruto protested, holding onto my neck while Gai stepped forward.
"Just for a while, Naruto-kun. I have to talk about work with Itachi and Izumo. If you don't want to play rock-paper-scissors with Gai-san, why don't you help him train? I bet he can do fifty pumps with you on his back."
"Excellent idea, Maiko-san! I can do a hundred!"
"I don't believe ya, dattebayo!"
With the two excitable guys kept busy in a corner, I listened to the summary of my replacements' day. Apart from the snakes, it indeed went well. I couldn't complain. I had expected worse. As such, I let them go with praise.
With a few moments for myself, I rested my cheek in the palm of my hand and fondly watched Gai and Naruto. They had so much energy to share. It was a good pair, no matter what Naruto seemed to think about it. I had no doubt he would get used to his nii-chan's best friend.
The Hokage's office opened, letting through Raidou and Iwashi. Immediately, Naruto jumped on his feet and ran in, calling for his father.
Gai stood up and came to me. "Maiko-san, I was wondering if you knew where I might find my eternal rival?!"
A devilish smile stretched my lips.
I gave my address to Gai. The date crasher deserved all the excess energy from the Green Beast he would get!
That vengeful thought was vanquished by my greater concern for Kakashi, and I added: "Oh, by the way, Gai..."
The jounin froze in his motion to leave and gracefully turned around to face me. "Yes, Maiko-san?"
I leaned forward, inviting him silently to do the same. "He seemed a bit… unsettled when I saw him. I know you're his best friend, no matter what he might say, so if there is anything you usually do to lift his spirits, it might be a good idea today."
Gai looked surprised then solemn. "You can count on me, Maiko-san."
"Ah, but he looked a little tired," I added quickly, fearing this would end up in an outlandish challenge.
"My eternal rival is lucky to have your friendship and consideration, Maiko-san. I'll take care of him. You have my word!" He held his fist to his face with tears in his eyes.
"I don't doubt it. He's just as lucky to have you, Gai-san."
oOo Meanwhile, in Maiko's apartment oOo
"Upset I crashed your date?"
"I'll get you back for it, believe me," Genma promised.
They were sitting on the roof's edge of Maiko's building. Kakashi was reading his book of the week while Genma played with a senbon, watching the street below.
"Now, do you want to tell me what's up?"
Kakashi turned a page. "The sky."
"Shut up, smartass," Genma huffed, folded a leg, and rested an arm on top as he glanced at his friend. "Did something happen during your mission?"
"Maybe…."
With a sigh, Genma grabbed Kakashi by the ankle and jumped down. They landed on the balcony of Maiko's apartment. Kakashi showed less grace than his fellow ANBU since he insisted on saving his book first. He glared at Genma, who simply pushed him inside, where no one could overhear.
"Speak up. What did you find in ROOT's remote bases?"
"Many things," Kakashi replied. He added when Genma threatened to hit him: "There were scrolls. Old ones. Clans' relics. Including one from the Hatake clan."
Expecting but failing to get a more thorough explanation, Genma prompted him: "And?"
"It just… reminded me of something that my father once told me and that I didn't understand at the time."
"What?" Genma asked, more gently.
" Family is those who stay, through the hard times, the struggles, and the misunderstandings. Those you can trust to stay by your side, you shouldn't let them go. Maiko's like that."
"You're scared."
"What? No."
"You're," Genma insisted, smirking softly. "You're scared that you messed up, and that she wouldn't want to see you now that she's dating me." When Kakashi refused stubbornly to answer, Genma chuckled. "Do you feel better now that she interrupted our date for you?"
"Maa, are you jealous?" Kakashi tried to counter.
"Jealous? No." Genma removed his senbon, stepped forward until they were standing in each other space, holding onto his friend's stare. He gently pulled on Kakashi's mask until his lips were free to be kissed by the fresh air and Genma. The contact was soft and brief. "I am the one who kissed you both today," Genma whispered, his breath brushing Kakashi's cheek. Genma pulled away and gestured toward the window he was facing. "Someone's here for you."
Kakashi shook himself, quickly put back on his mask, and turned around. He sweat-dropped when Gai dropped on the balcony's railing and waved enthusiastically.
"Kakashi! Maiko-san told me where to find you!"
Genma grinned. "Oh, look: payback."
"Genma! It's good to see you! Would you like to join us for a drink?"
"It would be my pleasure," he drawled with a last wink in Kakashi's direction.
They went to an izakaya. It was one of their favorites, as such it wasn't much of a surprise when Raidou and Rin joined them a little later.
"Everything went well with Maiko?" Raidou asked Genma, while Rin was busy refereeing a contest between the two rivals.
"Well enough," Genma replied, nursing his cup of sake. "She invited me to spend the night with her as soon as I have one free." He ignored Kakashi's discreet but grateful glance. Everyone had moments of weakness. It was just in good taste to keep it for yourself when you witnessed a comrade going through a tough time.
"She looked happier too," Raidou said.
"You think?"
"Yeah. She seemed tired these last days, even this morning, but tonight she wasn't bothered when Hokage-sama asked her a last-minute favor. She was smiling dreamingly when she was lost in thought. Even Naruto noticed. She tickled him when he asked if she had done a good prank."
Genma snorted but smiled in pleasure.
They left the bar sometime later before anyone could get drunk. Genma noticed Kakashi lagging behind, glancing around him discreetly.
Genma slowed down and asked: "Something wrong?"
"A feeling… like being watched."
"Someone is always watching," Genma commented nonchalantly, but his attentive eyes sweeping their surroundings denied his dismissive attitude.
"Rin felt this way a few times lately," Kakashi whispered, standing close of his own volition.
Genma looked at their friends chatting loudly together a little further. He had noticed Raidou hovering unusually close to his girlfriend, but he had believed it to be a consequence of their growing intimacy. Silly of him. Raidou didn't hover for love, but concern, however…
"I'll stay vigilant," he promised.
Kakashi hummed noncommittally.
Genma understood.
If there was a threat, it was a high-level one to escape their detection.