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Apr. 28th, 2008 08:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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nezumiko
Rated R
Naruto and the characters therein belong to Masashi Kishimoto and whoever else owns them
Dear Genma,
Thanks for writing. Two months on the road has given me time to think, and I’m guessing it wasn’t coincidence that I was cornered with dog chatter when the council meeting started. Fucking Inuzaka and their sense of smell. No – I wasn’t thinking it; but there’s no arguing with that bitch once she thinks she smells something. Whatever she smelled, no doubt an extended assignment will take care of it. And I’m not sorry you got stuck with him – someone needs to straighten the kid out, and you and Rai have a better chance than anyone.
You really poisoned him? I know he’s a stubborn little bastard but a week in the hospital seems a little drastic for not following patrol orders to the letter.
I’ll be in and out of the shore villages, so the bookstore is as good a place as any to send mail. Some of the new porn they’ve imported is fantastic. I’m enclosing one I think you’ll like. Let me know if you talk Raidou into that thing near the end. Better yet, send pictures.
I’ve enclosed some of the tea you like.
Kakashi
Genma finished pulling senbon from the corpse and sprawled beside Kakashi. They sat in silence, fastidiously cleaning blood from weapons in the late afternoon light. The sounds of pursuit filtered back through the trees, and Genma slid the deadly little needles away with his head slightly canted as he listened to the third member of their team. Kakashi’s polishing cloth paused as a low thump and cry sounded, and silence followed. Genma softly grunted approval, and Kakashi started stowing kunai back in his pockets.
“He’s coming along alright?” Kakashi asked. “You weren’t worried about him finishing off the squad on his own?”
“I don’t worry about him…” Genma paused, and waved his hand “…completing. I worry about him developing a taste for blood.”
There was a barely perceptible pause in Kakashi’s rhythm. “Naruto won’t let that happen.”
Any response Genma was going to make was forestalled by the arrival of their teammate. The younger man crouched on the forest floor, and visually checked his teammates for injuries. As usual, when someone was subbing for for Raidou, the visual check took longer. Unusually, a slight flush stained Sasuke’s cheeks as he watched Kakashi’s hands clean and sheath the katana. Genma wasn’t sure if he was amused or appalled.
Dear Genma,
The rumour mill seems to be working overtime. It’s true that Naruto got Gaara drunk, but they did not ratify the treaty by exchanging virgins. Have you seen Gaara’s sister? I hope to be well out of Sand before anyone repeats that in her hearing.
And on the subject of rumours, yours is the second letter to inform us that Sasuke is sleeping his way through the ANBU hunters. Are you worried about it? We weren’t any better at his age. Remember the medic who thought I was wearing a mask solely to hide the hickeys you inflicted?
Naruto declared two nights ago that Sasuke was turned gay by early exposure to Naruto’s own incomparable sex appeal on their genin team. In response, Sakura turfed him from their guest quarters, and he’s been sleeping on my floor.
I don’t think we’ll be back from Sand before you leave, so good luck on the mission, and let that shadow of yours watch your back.
Kakashi
ps – the watercolour is for Raidou – it reminded me of the story he used to tell about the old woman who lived up the mountain
Genma laughed at Kakashi’s glare. “My team, my plan. Suck it up, Hatake.”
The fragrant steam billowing out of the shower room wasn’t improving Kakashi’s mood. Not at all. “Why do your plans and your teams always involve someone trolling for sex?”
No answer. Not that Kakashi needed an answer – they did it because it worked. When they were younger Genma would pose as a whore, and Raidou or Kakashi would pick him up in a bar and run surveillance or infiltrate or cause a disturbance and it always worked.
Except for that time with the broken red stilettos and the fishmonger. And the other time with the cats, the bedbug infested whorehouse and the one legged missing nin. And the time with the guitar and the raspberry flavoured condom.
The shower stopped and Kakashi lowered his voice. “I concede that Sasuke could pass as a sex worker, he looks bored enough – but why don’t you stick with him, and I’ll approach the target?”
Genma laughed. “I’ve actually been chatted up by you, Kakashi. Your idea of a pick up line is to wave porn in someone’s face and ask if they’d like to try what’s on page 27.” The shower door swung open, and Genma noted that Kakashi did not look over as Sasuke emerged, stripped down to a fishnet shirt clinging to damp skin. Genma motioned the younger man over, and rummaged in his vest for kohl. Drawing the eyeliner around Sasuke’s eyes, Genma continued. “When we were dating you actually brought me weapons oil as a present. And explosive tags.” Sasuke snorted, and Genma flicked his head for moving. “You, Kakashi, cannot be trusted to successfully pick up the mark in a bar.” Genma finished the eyemakeup and pushed Sasuke back to consider the effect. From muscled and lethal to muscled and pretty, it was a good enough transformation, but there was a fading bruise still visible on Sasuke’s arm from sparring.
“Last year, we had a mission go sideways” Sasuke reminisced unhelpfully, “when the informant was too busy trying to rescue me from Raidou to talk to Genma. He even had a brochure on the dangers of rough trade hookups.”
Genma shrugged out of his own vest and pulled a silky looking shirt out of his pack. Sasuke bruised easier than Genma, and Raidou had almost disarmed him with that vicious arm twist in a practice spar last week. Genma stripped off his shirt and padded, barefoot to the shower room.
“We need to be gone in 10, Kakashi. And you, pretty boy, you need to be in the bar before we get there.” Genma stuck his head around the door for one more instruction. “Sasuke needs a visible bitemark to distract from that bruise.”
Silence. Well. Sasuke, at least, followed orders these days. Genma flicked on the shower and stuck his head under it.
When he came out, Sasuke was gone, and Kakashi was leaning against the wall. His mask was up, and his long slender hands were trembling. “Any other instructions for pretending my former student is a whore?” Kakashi spat out.
Genma paused at the door. “He’s not your student, he’s my second in command. And Kashi.. you already look at him” his voice was sympathetic, “Like you think he might be yours, but you have no idea what to do with him.”
Dear Genma,
I’d heard, but didn’t think it was happening that fast. Damn. The kid wraps up his surfing lessons tomorrow, he takes after Asuma, you can see it in the way he’s not afraid of anything. Kurenai and I will pack tonight, and we’ll all head home.
Tell Naruto and Sakura
I don’t know if we’ll be home in time for the funeral
We’ll be as quick as we can. Thanks for the letter.
Kakashi
Raidou didn’t miss this shit at all. How anyone in Stone had thought that the Sixth Hokage was vulnerable at his installation was a mystery. Young – yes. Stupid – on occasion. Weak and without allies? Where the fuck had they been for the last ten years?
Duck, turn and a vicious slash upwards cut the hamstring of the bastard who was forming seals to attack Genma. That was not on. Raidou bent and quickly slashed the man’s throat, and was that the last one here? He straightened up, ignoring the pang in his knee.
And people wondered why he liked teaching history at the academy.
It sounded like the initial sortie had failed, and there were a few sorties closer to the main gates. A couple of deep breaths, and Raidou reached out one long arm to grab Genma’s shoulder. He pulled his partner closer , to feel Genma’s warmth. Still alive, only scratched, one more fight, fuck, fuck, fuck: Raidou had forgotten, shoved down the fear that hit when the fighting was over and he realized how close he’d come to losing Genma.
He’d thought it would be hard, Genma going out in the field without him. But he’d been running missions with Genma and Sasuke for years. He’d been the one to nickname Sasuke “Shadow” for the way he dogged Genma’s steps and guarded his back. Raidou tried not to think too hard on what parts of Sasuke’s obsession with his brother had sublimated easily to devotion to his captain, but it wasn’t hard to see shades of the same focus, determination and, as it turned out, blind devotion to the village in the two men.
So Raidou had taken the teaching job when it came up, and trusted that Genma would come home to him, and Sasuke would keep him alive. And now he leaned back against the dusty brick wall, and felt Genma’s chest rise and fall against his side. Still alive.
Where was Shadow?
Looking around, Raidou found Sasuke kneeing in the dust. Blackish blood smeared across his cheek, and Raidou’s stomach tightened. The medics had been clear (shrill, actually) on the subject of how few time Sasuke could use that damned ameratsu trick before he went blind. But the Stone ninja had targeted Naruto, Sakura and the baby, and Sasuke hadn’t even hesitated before throwing up the wall of black flames in defense. And he’d kept it, directed it… even as the blood ran down his face, even as he’d pivoted to protect Genma’s side, even as Lee had used his shoulder to launch himself to the top of the wall, held it even as Kakashi had dropped from a hit and not moved again.
Sasuke was kneeling, bent over Kakashi splayed in the dust and Raidou could tell from his too steady hands that his vision was at least blurry. Maybe gone.. Genma grabbed at his hand, and Raidou let him squeeze until it hurt. Finally Kakashi groaned and rolled and sat up, clutching at Sasuke’s vest for leverage.
Raidou felt Genma’s shoulder relax down just a bit as Kakashi’s low rasp muttered complaints and he wiped blood away from Sasuke’s eyes. Sasuke reached hesitantly for Kakashi and pulled him closer. Kakashi visibly stiffened and tried to pull back.
Genma sighed, and Sasuke and Kakashi raised their voices and Raidou looked away to afford the small privacy.
“Told you to stay behind..”
“You’re not supposed to use that jutsu, Naruto can…”
“Heart almost stopped when you…”
“Not a good idea…”
Raidou felt Genma hold his breath as Sasuke snapped “Shut up! SHUT UP!” in that exasperated vehement tone they’d only ever heard directed at Naruto. He looked over, couldn’t resist, and Sasuke had pressed himself almost into Kakashi’s lap. They were kissing, barely moving their mouths, Kakashi’s hand coming up to slip under Sasuke’s vest.
Dear Genma,
Glad to hear that Raidou is settling in at the university. I showed the scroll to Kankuro the last time he was by, and he agrees that it’s probably an archaic version of the dialect.
Things have been pretty quiet here since Sasuke killed that emissary. I don’t think underestimating quite covers the mistake of deciding that the Hokage’s blind bodyguard was no threat. We’re probably lucky that he died quickly.
Not that the replacement was much better. The new one came into the Hokage’s office this morning, and saw me in the window and Sasuke from the back holding the baby while Sakura was in her office, and mistook him for the nanny.
Naruto laughed so hard he fell out of his chair. Between the hysterical with laughter Hokage, the blind and lame bodyguards, I feel confident that this emissary will underestimate us as well.
Keep your eyes and ears open and let us know what you hear.
Hope you’re enjoying the soft life of an academic’s wife. Is the green teapretentious good enough at the faculty dinners to meet your standards?
Kakashi
nezumikoRated R
Naruto and the characters therein belong to Masashi Kishimoto and whoever else owns them
Dear Genma,
Thanks for writing. Two months on the road has given me time to think, and I’m guessing it wasn’t coincidence that I was cornered with dog chatter when the council meeting started. Fucking Inuzaka and their sense of smell. No – I wasn’t thinking it; but there’s no arguing with that bitch once she thinks she smells something. Whatever she smelled, no doubt an extended assignment will take care of it. And I’m not sorry you got stuck with him – someone needs to straighten the kid out, and you and Rai have a better chance than anyone.
You really poisoned him? I know he’s a stubborn little bastard but a week in the hospital seems a little drastic for not following patrol orders to the letter.
I’ll be in and out of the shore villages, so the bookstore is as good a place as any to send mail. Some of the new porn they’ve imported is fantastic. I’m enclosing one I think you’ll like. Let me know if you talk Raidou into that thing near the end. Better yet, send pictures.
I’ve enclosed some of the tea you like.
Kakashi
Genma finished pulling senbon from the corpse and sprawled beside Kakashi. They sat in silence, fastidiously cleaning blood from weapons in the late afternoon light. The sounds of pursuit filtered back through the trees, and Genma slid the deadly little needles away with his head slightly canted as he listened to the third member of their team. Kakashi’s polishing cloth paused as a low thump and cry sounded, and silence followed. Genma softly grunted approval, and Kakashi started stowing kunai back in his pockets.
“He’s coming along alright?” Kakashi asked. “You weren’t worried about him finishing off the squad on his own?”
“I don’t worry about him…” Genma paused, and waved his hand “…completing. I worry about him developing a taste for blood.”
There was a barely perceptible pause in Kakashi’s rhythm. “Naruto won’t let that happen.”
Any response Genma was going to make was forestalled by the arrival of their teammate. The younger man crouched on the forest floor, and visually checked his teammates for injuries. As usual, when someone was subbing for for Raidou, the visual check took longer. Unusually, a slight flush stained Sasuke’s cheeks as he watched Kakashi’s hands clean and sheath the katana. Genma wasn’t sure if he was amused or appalled.
Dear Genma,
The rumour mill seems to be working overtime. It’s true that Naruto got Gaara drunk, but they did not ratify the treaty by exchanging virgins. Have you seen Gaara’s sister? I hope to be well out of Sand before anyone repeats that in her hearing.
And on the subject of rumours, yours is the second letter to inform us that Sasuke is sleeping his way through the ANBU hunters. Are you worried about it? We weren’t any better at his age. Remember the medic who thought I was wearing a mask solely to hide the hickeys you inflicted?
Naruto declared two nights ago that Sasuke was turned gay by early exposure to Naruto’s own incomparable sex appeal on their genin team. In response, Sakura turfed him from their guest quarters, and he’s been sleeping on my floor.
I don’t think we’ll be back from Sand before you leave, so good luck on the mission, and let that shadow of yours watch your back.
Kakashi
ps – the watercolour is for Raidou – it reminded me of the story he used to tell about the old woman who lived up the mountain
Genma laughed at Kakashi’s glare. “My team, my plan. Suck it up, Hatake.”
The fragrant steam billowing out of the shower room wasn’t improving Kakashi’s mood. Not at all. “Why do your plans and your teams always involve someone trolling for sex?”
No answer. Not that Kakashi needed an answer – they did it because it worked. When they were younger Genma would pose as a whore, and Raidou or Kakashi would pick him up in a bar and run surveillance or infiltrate or cause a disturbance and it always worked.
Except for that time with the broken red stilettos and the fishmonger. And the other time with the cats, the bedbug infested whorehouse and the one legged missing nin. And the time with the guitar and the raspberry flavoured condom.
The shower stopped and Kakashi lowered his voice. “I concede that Sasuke could pass as a sex worker, he looks bored enough – but why don’t you stick with him, and I’ll approach the target?”
Genma laughed. “I’ve actually been chatted up by you, Kakashi. Your idea of a pick up line is to wave porn in someone’s face and ask if they’d like to try what’s on page 27.” The shower door swung open, and Genma noted that Kakashi did not look over as Sasuke emerged, stripped down to a fishnet shirt clinging to damp skin. Genma motioned the younger man over, and rummaged in his vest for kohl. Drawing the eyeliner around Sasuke’s eyes, Genma continued. “When we were dating you actually brought me weapons oil as a present. And explosive tags.” Sasuke snorted, and Genma flicked his head for moving. “You, Kakashi, cannot be trusted to successfully pick up the mark in a bar.” Genma finished the eyemakeup and pushed Sasuke back to consider the effect. From muscled and lethal to muscled and pretty, it was a good enough transformation, but there was a fading bruise still visible on Sasuke’s arm from sparring.
“Last year, we had a mission go sideways” Sasuke reminisced unhelpfully, “when the informant was too busy trying to rescue me from Raidou to talk to Genma. He even had a brochure on the dangers of rough trade hookups.”
Genma shrugged out of his own vest and pulled a silky looking shirt out of his pack. Sasuke bruised easier than Genma, and Raidou had almost disarmed him with that vicious arm twist in a practice spar last week. Genma stripped off his shirt and padded, barefoot to the shower room.
“We need to be gone in 10, Kakashi. And you, pretty boy, you need to be in the bar before we get there.” Genma stuck his head around the door for one more instruction. “Sasuke needs a visible bitemark to distract from that bruise.”
Silence. Well. Sasuke, at least, followed orders these days. Genma flicked on the shower and stuck his head under it.
When he came out, Sasuke was gone, and Kakashi was leaning against the wall. His mask was up, and his long slender hands were trembling. “Any other instructions for pretending my former student is a whore?” Kakashi spat out.
Genma paused at the door. “He’s not your student, he’s my second in command. And Kashi.. you already look at him” his voice was sympathetic, “Like you think he might be yours, but you have no idea what to do with him.”
Dear Genma,
I’d heard, but didn’t think it was happening that fast. Damn. The kid wraps up his surfing lessons tomorrow, he takes after Asuma, you can see it in the way he’s not afraid of anything. Kurenai and I will pack tonight, and we’ll all head home.
We’ll be as quick as we can. Thanks for the letter.
Kakashi
Raidou didn’t miss this shit at all. How anyone in Stone had thought that the Sixth Hokage was vulnerable at his installation was a mystery. Young – yes. Stupid – on occasion. Weak and without allies? Where the fuck had they been for the last ten years?
Duck, turn and a vicious slash upwards cut the hamstring of the bastard who was forming seals to attack Genma. That was not on. Raidou bent and quickly slashed the man’s throat, and was that the last one here? He straightened up, ignoring the pang in his knee.
And people wondered why he liked teaching history at the academy.
It sounded like the initial sortie had failed, and there were a few sorties closer to the main gates. A couple of deep breaths, and Raidou reached out one long arm to grab Genma’s shoulder. He pulled his partner closer , to feel Genma’s warmth. Still alive, only scratched, one more fight, fuck, fuck, fuck: Raidou had forgotten, shoved down the fear that hit when the fighting was over and he realized how close he’d come to losing Genma.
He’d thought it would be hard, Genma going out in the field without him. But he’d been running missions with Genma and Sasuke for years. He’d been the one to nickname Sasuke “Shadow” for the way he dogged Genma’s steps and guarded his back. Raidou tried not to think too hard on what parts of Sasuke’s obsession with his brother had sublimated easily to devotion to his captain, but it wasn’t hard to see shades of the same focus, determination and, as it turned out, blind devotion to the village in the two men.
So Raidou had taken the teaching job when it came up, and trusted that Genma would come home to him, and Sasuke would keep him alive. And now he leaned back against the dusty brick wall, and felt Genma’s chest rise and fall against his side. Still alive.
Where was Shadow?
Looking around, Raidou found Sasuke kneeing in the dust. Blackish blood smeared across his cheek, and Raidou’s stomach tightened. The medics had been clear (shrill, actually) on the subject of how few time Sasuke could use that damned ameratsu trick before he went blind. But the Stone ninja had targeted Naruto, Sakura and the baby, and Sasuke hadn’t even hesitated before throwing up the wall of black flames in defense. And he’d kept it, directed it… even as the blood ran down his face, even as he’d pivoted to protect Genma’s side, even as Lee had used his shoulder to launch himself to the top of the wall, held it even as Kakashi had dropped from a hit and not moved again.
Sasuke was kneeling, bent over Kakashi splayed in the dust and Raidou could tell from his too steady hands that his vision was at least blurry. Maybe gone.. Genma grabbed at his hand, and Raidou let him squeeze until it hurt. Finally Kakashi groaned and rolled and sat up, clutching at Sasuke’s vest for leverage.
Raidou felt Genma’s shoulder relax down just a bit as Kakashi’s low rasp muttered complaints and he wiped blood away from Sasuke’s eyes. Sasuke reached hesitantly for Kakashi and pulled him closer. Kakashi visibly stiffened and tried to pull back.
Genma sighed, and Sasuke and Kakashi raised their voices and Raidou looked away to afford the small privacy.
“Told you to stay behind..”
“You’re not supposed to use that jutsu, Naruto can…”
“Heart almost stopped when you…”
“Not a good idea…”
Raidou felt Genma hold his breath as Sasuke snapped “Shut up! SHUT UP!” in that exasperated vehement tone they’d only ever heard directed at Naruto. He looked over, couldn’t resist, and Sasuke had pressed himself almost into Kakashi’s lap. They were kissing, barely moving their mouths, Kakashi’s hand coming up to slip under Sasuke’s vest.
Dear Genma,
Glad to hear that Raidou is settling in at the university. I showed the scroll to Kankuro the last time he was by, and he agrees that it’s probably an archaic version of the dialect.
Things have been pretty quiet here since Sasuke killed that emissary. I don’t think underestimating quite covers the mistake of deciding that the Hokage’s blind bodyguard was no threat. We’re probably lucky that he died quickly.
Not that the replacement was much better. The new one came into the Hokage’s office this morning, and saw me in the window and Sasuke from the back holding the baby while Sakura was in her office, and mistook him for the nanny.
Naruto laughed so hard he fell out of his chair. Between the hysterical with laughter Hokage, the blind and lame bodyguards, I feel confident that this emissary will underestimate us as well.
Keep your eyes and ears open and let us know what you hear.
Hope you’re enjoying the soft life of an academic’s wife. Is the green tea
Kakashi
