Chapter 19
Whatever madman had had the stupid idea of letting strangers from rivalry villages into Konoha must have been completely out of their mind.
He suspected Hashirama. That Senju didn't fear anything anymore. Not after he had travelled the lands and collected seven bijuu spirits.
On his own. Seven.
Really, at this point Koguma was convinced nothing could kill the man.
The atmosphere had been tense and ready to snap ever since the first delegation from the Land of Wind had arrived. Their shinobi were loud-mouthed and flamboyant, just like the wandering puppet masters they stemmed from. All actions carefully crafted to entertain and stir curiosity. Most of them were clothed in several light cotton layers, their hair either bound together or hidden underneath scarfs- and who could blame them with the relentless desert heat and wind blowing into their faces the whole time? Koguma had managed to get a glimpse at their kazekage- a rather handsome man with slate eyes and warm brown hair, but also a solemn twist to his mouth. Not a person that would laugh often, Koguma imagined.
The next delegation to arrive that day had been the tsuchikage, even if nearly none of the village had noticed with how silent and calm they had made their way among them. Konoha shinobi had been nearly falling over their feet trying to help them get to their quarters, causing the man to make puns about them tripping over pebbles. He seemed to be a rather reasonable and grounded man.
The arrival of the mizukage and raikage had been the most stressful. Both men were proud in their own way and scorned at everything they beheld in Konoha, their guards waving their weapons and powers around as if they were accessories. Koguma ventured that if anything would go wrong during the talks, it might be because of them.
But maybe Tobirama would drop dead from stress before it ever came to that, looking all haggard as he did.
"You're supposed to accompany the kage's delegation, help them settle in and keep an eye that they don't use this chance to spy on us," the albino mumbled as he tried leering out of the window and into the village. As if he would be able to spy any foreign shinobi crawling across the roof of the mission's office and catch them in their act with his terrible eye-sight.
"Yeah, duh," Susumu mumbled while rolling his eyes. He tried to catch his gaze out of the corner of his eyes, a shit-eating grin spreading on his face, but Koguma ignored him. Susumu's smile faded.
Tobirama's head snapped over to the mob of shinobi grouped in the room- over twenty people which were all being sorted into shifts to keep an eye on different visitors. "Yes, of course they will," he snapped, apparently his patience worn thin by nerves, but unable to find the perpetrator. "It's your job to stop them from doing so." All of them dipped their heads as they continued kneeling in front of Hashirama's desk.
"Team one will be accompanying the kazekage's delegation for the next three days, while team five keeps to the shadows," the hokage spoke up, making two Senju, two Hyuuga and two Inuzuka confirm with a short bark. "Team two will be joining the tsuchikage's envoy, supported by team six." Hiruzen, Danzo and Kagami barked 'yes' simultaneously, while the others of team Tobirama followed their lead. "Team three will take care of the mizukage, team seven as their backup," another six shinobi, consisting of Uchiha and Fuma, as well as an Ino-Shika-Cho team shouted in confirmation. "And lastly team four and eight watch after the raikage." Kama, Susumu and some civilian kid spoke up, leaving Koguma, Gengaku and Ite to follow suit.
Really, Koguma thought it a terrible constellation. Absolutely idiotic. The Land of Lightning still was a sore subject to the Hatake. Of course the village had nothing to do with the daimyo and his aggressive politics of expansion, but still. Maybe they were hoping the reports of Kumogakure consisting of many of the escaped soldiers were true and possible Hatake snatchlings would be convinced to join Konoha once they met again. But even if disregarding any of the political problems, it would be a miracle if Kama and Susumu wouldn't strangle each other by the afternoon and Koguma wasn't too sure he wouldn't lose his mind being this close to Risu's cousin (sage, sage, sage).
"Dismissed."
Actually, team four should have been the one actively seen by Kumo's delegation, but he and the blonde haired Rinkusu had quickly agreed on never letting Kama anywhere near them, lest he provoke an international conflict, or better, full out war. So, instead they swapped roles with team four and that is how Koguma, Gengaku and Ite showed up to the raikage's lodgings to invite him on a accompanied tour through the village. They had all been tasked with wearing regular clothes to not come over too threateningly, so both Gengaku and Koguma had put on their traditional Hatake colours- pale blue alongside deep green trousers and wrapped tops (foregoing the usual hakama and haori, in case they would actually have to fight in their clothes. No need to ruin their one fine set), while Ite wore a rather practical outfit of light brown trousers and a loose shirt.
He must say that he was feeling rather proud of neither him nor Gengaku stiffening or reacting in any obvious way, when one of the guards opened the door on their knocking and a tall man with warm brown hair put up in elaborate braids stood before them. A massive scar was deforming the left side of his face, standing out harshly against his tan skin, pulling his lips into a constant sneer and hollowing out his left cheek. Yet seeing his figure still as well, they were convinced he had recognized them too. Before anyone of them could say something stupid or give themselves away, another guard appeared beside him, his hair pitch black and cut into a weird shape and skin of a deep brown colour.
"Yes?" he barked at them.
Ite was the only one to grace him with a bow, while both Hatake dipped their heads, as he said, "Let us introduce ourselves. My name is Shiranui Ite, and these are Hatake Gengaku and Koguma. We are at your disposal for the duration of your stay." He came back up from his bow, totally unaware how his teammates were doing their best to not stare at the first guard. "We'd like to invite the raikage and you to a tour through the village."
The first guard stepped back from the door, waving with his hand deeper into the house. "Please come inside while we pass along your offer to A-sama." The sound of his voice alone, not to mention his scent-
Moss, leather-
And wool.
He and Gengaku had been waiting on the roof of the building besides team four a while now. The night was pitch black and silent at this late hour. It seemed that even the usual bar-hoppers had refrained from going on a spree with so many strangers in their village. None of them had spoken a word, not acknowledged what they had seen today, who they had met again.
Instead it seemed they had all silently agreed on waiting up here.
His scent was the only true warning they got, before the first guard jumped up to the roof, making both Susumu and the civilian shinobi flinch in their position. He was carrying a massive odachi to his right hand side, the sight of which made Koguma's heart ache in recognition. At least he had managed hanging on to it.
"Go check the parameter," he spat towards the civilian. Even though he wasn't his team leader, the man followed his command immediately.
For a moment all three Hatake stared at the guard, before Koguma and he spurred into action and pulled each other into a fierce hug. After some heartbeats, they both leaned back with their heads to truly take each other in, the features so sweetly familiar, the scars and lines of age so painfully new and then proceeded to rub their right cheeks against each other.
"Kogu-kun," the man choked out.
"Yasashiko," he replied just as pressed. "I thought I was the last one. All Kuma dead-"
"No, I'm still here. Still alive." His hand gripped harder onto the back of his head and around his shoulders. "I thought I was the last. I never heard of any-"
"I'm okay. I'm still here."
Both dipped their heads down in the crook of the other one's neck, taking a deep whiff of both their scents, recognizing the shared base tone of wool.
His cousin. His dessert stealing cousin, the idiot foolish enough to flirt with fierce Den- alive.
They held each other for a while longer, their racing hearts only slowly calming down, but the shaking in both their limbs wouldn't subside.
Alive. At least one of his family still alive.
"I thought you were dead," Koguma mumbled against his warm neck one more, throat clenching as he uttered the words.
He felt him shake his head more than he could actually see it. "I thought so too. The last thing I saw of you was Kenji-oji running towards you to save you from the attack. The next moment I looked up, both of you were gone." Their grip tightened around each other once more, before Yasashiko gently pushed him away. He was staring over his shoulder towards the others, as if only realising now that they weren't alone.
"Kama-kun," his cousin spoke up, before turning his head and adding, "Rinkusu-san."
"Kuma-san," both men mumbled behind them, but made no move to come closer.
His cousin seemed to ignore Susumu completely and instead turned to face him once more. "What happened, Kogu?" he whispered, pulling him further to the edge of the roof and positioning in such a way that he could keep their audience in his sight over his shoulder.
"Kenji-oji got me out. Tousan and kaasan- they died," he replied just as low, caught somewhere between wanting to tell him everything and apprehension of having the others hear it all.
"I saw them."
Koguma dipped his head seeing the sadness behind Yasashiko's eyes. "Once outside- something exploded behind us, throwing me and ojisan through the air. When I woke up, I dragged him to the river and let us wash away. He didn't wake the whole time. On the third day he was dead."
Yasashiko scratched along the scar mutilating his face. "Where?"
Koguma's eyes darted to their corners, as if trying to see the others through the back of his head. In a toneless hush he answered, "Half a day down the river from Yama no haru. The stream takes a harsh bend to the right at some point. He's buried underneath a great, red maple tree." Kenji had been his family as well after all, seeing that Yasashiko's mother had been his aunt. Koguma didn't hesitate in telling him where he could find his grave. He would have wanted to visit it as well had he been him.
His cousin stared into nothing for a moment, before his brown eyes snapped back to him once more. "Then?"
"A traveller and his son found me after- well -" Yasashiko's eyes darkened at that, gaze shortly fluttering to Kama, who had stiffened at the words. They were speaking in hushed voices, but both of them were aware that the others would be able to listen in to every word they were saying. "- they took me in. Cared for me. Yubi was like a father to me and Susumu," he gave a short nod over to the white haired man, his lips slightly pinching, "my brother. He's your kin as well now."
Yasashiko finally spared a glance at Susumu. To the great surprise of Koguma he actually bowed to him, saying, "Thank you for taking care of my family."
His brother had to shortly clear his throat as he mumbled, "No need to thank me."
Coming out of his bow, he turned back to Koguma, eyes cast down as he grabbed onto his bandaged hands. "Old scars," he explained seeing his equally sad and angered look. Yasashiko stroked across them in a soothing movement, before placing them between his hands. "Along the way we met- we met Risu. He was-" Koguma stopped, unable to properly articulate himself.
"How did he die?" Yasashiko asked gently, while squeezing his fingers.
"Sickness."
They fell silent, before Yasashiko replied, "That's the only way death can get those that he would otherwise have to claw from the living." Koguma stared at him for a moment, before grabbing at the back of his head and letting their temples bump together. Gods, how he missed this, the feeling of someone else truly understanding-
"Yes," he choked out, shortly having to fight against the tears threatening to spill over his cheeks. Yasashiko returned his gesture, holding the back of his head in a soft grip and stayed silent to let him compose himself.
After a while, Koguma leaned back again, roughly cleared his throat, before finishing, "We came here a little over two years ago. That's when we found the Hatake, or rather, they found us." They fell in silence for a while, still unable to take their eyes of each other, as if the other would disappear the moment they looked away. "What happened to you?"
Now it was Yasashiko's turn to drop his gaze and pinch his lips. "The Kitsune, that treacherous filth- I didn't get it at first. I was still searching for them, thinking they had already been taken-" He shook his head. "Instead I saw Den fall, so I joined the other's in helping the cubs escape. The moment Kenji left my side to go and save you, I got tangled up in a fight with one of the attackers. Next thing I know, I'm lying on the ground, left side of my face feeling as if on fire and unable to spot you anymore.
"We were half a dozen Hatake when we finally arrived before the daimyo's generals. Eleven had died on the way due to infections, exhaustion or simple resistance. Four more died in the course of the next three years as they tried to escape or simply weathered away underneath their grief." Koguma noticed his fingers twitching, so he softly squeezed his hand in reinsurance.
"How did you get out?"
"I didn't." Yasashiko shook his head. "I had met a woman during my time in the army and she was just as stuck among them as I was. She was the one coming up with our plan of escape. She got us out. I wouldn't be here without her."
"She sounds worthy of a Kuma's heart."
"No, I'm the one having to be worthy of her. She's incredible." A smile tugged at the right corner of his mouth, the left hand side apparently unable to move in such a way anymore. "I made her my wife. We have three cubs."
"Cubs," Koguma breathed.
"Yeah. You're basically an ojisan now, Kogu." He grabbed into his pouch, making the other three men that had by now watched in silence stiffen. But his cousin only pulled out a tattered photograph, handing it to him, all the while careful of keeping it out of their line of sight. It showed a woman with the skin of almonds and beautiful dark hair holding a little girl onto her hip. While the girl looked a bit shy, as if trying to hide behind her mother's shoulder, the boys standing before her had bright gap-toothed grins. Yasashiko was standing next to her, one hand clasped down on her shoulder and pride twinkling in his eyes. "They're wonderful, if a bit of a wild pack."
"I'm glad you've found happiness." He tried burning the image of his family, other Kumas into his memory, before he handed the picture back to his cousin.
As Yasashiko tugged it away, he opened his mouth, but shortly hesitated. Shooting a nervous look to the others, he leaned closer to Koguma as he almost implored, "Come with me, Kogu. You can meet them, be their ojisan, find your own happiness."
"Yasashiko-"
"No, listen. You can take your brother with you if you want, anyone is welcome in Kumogakure. There are no clans, no clan heads, no classes between the shinobi. We're all equal. Banded together to never having to serve a master we hadn't chosen ever again."
"I can't-"
"Hell, you can even take Kama with you. I know you two were close before the fall of Yama no haru, probably are again, if that idiot's growling is anything to go by." He shot a look at the enraged Hatake, baring his own fangs in warning against him. "If he's yours-"
"Don't you fucking dare trying to coax him into coming with you," Susumu spat out, taking a few threatening steps towards them.
Now it was Yasashiko's turn to snap. "Wasn't that exactly the reason Hatake guards had been assigned to the Kumo-delegation? Don't take me for a fool. That cunning hokage of yours was probably hoping for a reunion such as this and trapping even more Hatake underneath his thumb."
"Kogu's going nowhere-" Kama snarled, starting to look rather wild with his wide-blown pupils and tensed form, ready to pounce.
"You better shut your mouth, Okami. I don't think it's without reason that Koguma left out most of his tale- How long did it take before strangers took him in? Eh? Where was his kin? Surely doing the same as they did with any of us snatched; Nothing." He tugged Koguma behind his broad back and took position in front, as if to shield him from the others. It had been a while since anyone had actually been tall enough to somewhat hide Koguma behind them. "And why the hell does my eighteen-year old baby-cousin like he's turning on thirty? For a moment I thought it was truly Kenji standing before me-" he shook his head in disgust, hand clutching at the hilt of his sword. "I don't think being here is doing him any good."
Before anyone of the now all tensed up men could snap and start fighting each other, Koguma took a step forward and clutched at Yasashiko's elbow the same moment Gengaku clasped down on Kama's and Susumu's shoulders. "Enough," Koguma barked in his gruff voice. His grip tightened, but he kept his gaze on his brother and friend. Susumu was the first one to back down, making Yasashiko follow suit. Only Kama seemed unable to calm down.
"I'm not coming with you, Yasashiko." His cousin turned around to him, utter disappointment lining his eyes. "I hope the talks go in such a way that I will one day be able to visit you and your family. But my place is here, at their side. And their home is Konoha."
They pulled each other in a hug again that felt too much like farewell. After a moment Yasashiko mumbled into his ear, "I named my eldest Kenji."
"A good name," Koguma replied just as low. "He would have been honoured by it." Before his cousin could pull away, he tightened his grip, pressing his mouth close to his ear as he whispered, "I found them. The Kitsune."
Yasashiko refrained from tensing, not showing any sign to the others of what he had just told, but his heartbeat sped up in his chest. "Tell me." Koguma had to carefully school his expression with such pure satisfaction racing through him upon the breathed request.
Not a question, a wait on orders. Of course his cousin hadn't known where to find them, otherwise they would have been dead already. Kuma don't forgive and they most certainly don't forget.
Koguma knew now- the gods had smiled upon him after all. Such fickle creatures.
His cousin left the roof the same moment the civilian shinobi returned from his parameter check. Koguma took a deep breath, trying to stifle the pure warmth that made his heart swell and then walked up to Kama, who was still clutching his sabre and looking rather haunted. "Calm down, Kama." His friend didn't react, forcing Koguma to suppress a sigh. He grabbed his hand and carefully pulled the blade out of his grasp. Then he took up the man's still slightly sweaty palm and rubbed it against his left cheek. "I'm still here. I'm not going anywhere."
"You better not," he pressed out between clenched teeth. Praying to the gods for some patience and gaining a whole new level of respect for Risu, for holding out whenever Koguma had been such a handful, he gave Gengaku a sharp nod. "Go home. I'll stay a little while." It would probably be a bad idea leaving Kama now just to get some sleep. He'd probably lose his shit.
The Rinkusu gave him a hesitant nod, before shunshining away himself. The civilian had by then taken position at the other end of the roof, shooting distrustful glances towards him and the trembling form of Kama.
"You're really staying?" Susumu asked almost hesitant. Probably expected him to take any opportunity to go with that argument of theirs still hanging between them.
Koguma shot him a deadpan look. "Of course I am. You asked me to, didn't you?" Susumu seemed to glow up at that, eyes blowing wide, creases on his forehead smoothing out and the usual smirk reappearing on his lips.
"Would you stay if it were me asking you?" Kama's voice had been so low he almost hadn't heard it. Koguma regarded him for a moment, unsure what kind of question that was even supposed to be.
"Yes." He turned to Susumu, to try and see if he was the only one thinking his question weird, but his brother was staring at Kama with a look of such utter disgust and resentment that it shortly took his breath away.
Then he seemed to notice his attention, so he hastily plastered a fake smile on his face and joked, "Good, I don't think having two Kuma at one place would be a good idea. He's apparently even more easily riled up then you are."
"You're a Kuma too, you know. The same could be said about us."
That made Susumu's smile falter, before he tugged with his hand through his hair. "Well, not by blood. It's not the same."
Kama seemed to come out of his daze as well, as he put on a grin and teased the pale-haired man, "And yet, it exactly is. Two Kuma at one place, easily riled up."
For a moment Susumu turned angry again, but then the words seemed to truly register in his head- Firstly, Kama calling him a Kuma even in blood, and secondly, giving him an opening to talk with Koguma about their argument. So much consideration from the Hatake was apparently putting his mind into overdrive, the clocks behind his forehead audibly clicking, as if he was searching for some form of trap.
"Yeah-" Susumu ventured, "-easily riled up. Maybe we should start thinking before spitting out whatever nonsense is going through our heads." He leered at Koguma out of the corner of his eyes. Kama shot him subtle encouraging nods.
Koguma saw through the whole act with ease, but he did find himself in a lenient mood. Or maybe he was just too emotionally riled up to care. "Yes, maybe," he agreed.
"And maybe, we should keep in mind that whatever the other says in anger, is probably a load of horseshit."
"Maybe," he hummed.
"And maybe-"
"Don't push it, Susumu."
"Fair enough." The night was silent as they shared a short look with each other, now a genuine smile tugging at the corner of Susumu's mouth.
"Greet your wife. I'm going to get some rest. I'll join you for dinner, after the kage have left again." He winked at him while doing so. It made Susumu's ears turn delightfully pink, nearly making them glow in the dark. "I think I was promised some fresh daifuke." He now turned to the Hatake grinning like an absolute idiot himself, gaze fixed on his mouth and cheeks. "And I swear to the gods, if you come over to my house before I had breakfast, I will chug you over the cliff and into the Nara river."
"We'll see," Kama chirped. He shook his head and instead made his way leisurely off the roof and towards the Hatake compound.
Truly, the civilian must think them all incredibly unprofessional.
He guessed they were.
Koguma really didn't give a damn.
They were seated in the main living room, the sliding doors to the porch opened wide to get some of the day's afternoon sun inside. The table itself was bending underneath all kinds of plates and bowls, a wide arrange of both main and side dishes as well as dessert making the wood groan underneath. Koguma stared down at it, one eyebrow lifted in silent request. Susumu simply shrugged his shoulders as he leaned against the doorframe, both listening to even more pots and pans cluttering in the kitchen.
"Who's coming? All of Konoha?" Koguma tried to joke.
Susumu gave a fond sigh, shaking his own head over the abundance of food. "I told her it would just be you."
"Had I known, I would've dragged the others with me." His gaze flittered across the room. "Maybe Kama too."
"Even then it would've been too much."
"Indeed."
They shared an amused look.
"Maybe she invited her family as well?"
A groan answered his guess. "I hope not. Her brother is nice and all, but rather stiff und stuck up. Her obasan still hates my guts and let's just hope for all our sakes that her parents aren't going to materialise out of thin air."
Pans cluttered down the hallway, sounding much like a whole avalanche of dishes cluttering to the floor. "Should we help her?"
"She kicked us out, remember? I'm not planning to ignore that. I'd like to share a bedroom with her tonight if you don't mind."
"Ah, don't be like that, Susumu." Koguma teased, sending him a lopsided grin. "Can't I interest you in a nice sleepover?"
Susumu spluttered for a moment, the base of his neck gaining a red hue. "Pff, I'm sure no sleepover of yours can be anywhere near as delightful as a night in my own bed."
Koguma leaned into his personal space, nudging his foot against his shin. "You sure about that?"
"Fuck off," he spat, shoving Koguma away from him, but was rather unable to hide his amusement.
"We can put on little colourful pyjamas, tell each other about how stupid girls are, eat as many sweets as we want and maybe get black out drunk to top it of. Don't tell me there's anything better than that?" Koguma chuckled, while leaning back against the wooden frame himself.
Susumu snorted, shooting him an amused look, apparently choosing to play along. "Oh, you poor little innocent boy. If I were to tell you, you wouldn't understand," he sing-sang. "You know, when two people love each other very much-"
"They fuck." Both Koguma and Susumu startled upon the arrival of Kikyo behind them, slightly flailing as they made space for her to get through with even more dishes clutched in her hands. Koguma was choking on his own spit, caught somewhere between absolute hilarity and shock upon her frank words, especially since she topped it off with the most sweet looking smile. Susumu, on the other hand, seemed so surprised by her statement that for the very first time in his life, even his cheeks had gained a blotchy red hue.
"Sit down, boys, the food's getting cold."
Both men hastily made haste to take place at the table, still incredulous upon the sheer amount of food. "I never took you for a wasteful person, Kikyo-chan."
She dipped her head as she shot him a blank look. "It won't be wasted, Koguma." As if on cue, the front door opened, making Susumu and Koguma shortly startle. They were already clutching at kunai underneath the table cloth, when a voice softly called, "Tadaima," the soft cooing of a little child following it.
A few moments later Nami and Kagami entered the room, little Ryujin on his arms and Danzo following in their wake. Next came Hiruzen and his wife Biwako, looking terribly pleased with their stunned expressions. She greeted Kikyo with vigour, before sitting down opposite her. The last two people to enter were actually Kama and Nari. The latter looked incredibly uncomfortable and as always refused to meet Koguma's eyes, but they all hastily made room for the others to join them. Food was being handed from left to right soon enough, while Koguma looked on in a daze.
Upon Koguma's silent request, Kikyo explained, "I just heard that your last dinner had fallen short, due to Kama and Susumu being banned and you haven been called on a mission." The table was now a cacophony of words spoken, requests for making some room shouted and a baby's chuckling and cooing.
He mouthed a thank you at her, while giving a sharp shove to Kama who had plonked down next to him and accidentally elbowed him in his guts doing so. The man spluttered, barely managing to stop himself from flipping a bowl of rice over. Nari had taken place next to Kikyo and avidly started discussing the current political situation with her- he hadn't even realised that both women knew each other, not to mention were friends. He looked over to Ryujin, who started to close her fist around a handful of steamed vegetables, shaking them through the air with glee. A piece of leek landed on Danzo's head, making Hiruzen laugh upon his startled expression.
"Now, who in their right mind would ever want to leave this?" Kama muttered into his ear as he leaned over to him.
Koguma shovelled some chopped cabbage onto his and Kama's plate, adding some pieces of fish right after. "Must be an idiot for even considering it," he remarked with a slight smile.
"My thoughts exactly."
His grin was very much audible and his hot breath fanned against his neck. Koguma gave him a decisive shove out of his personal space, feeling the beginning of a deep shudder run down his spine. "I didn't know Nari and Kikyo knew each other," he murmured instead to distract from the unfamiliar sensation.
"Neither did I."
Koguma sent him a disappointed look upon his careless remark. "You could try harder."
"I could, but I don't wanna," Kama mumbled through a mouthful of rice, waving his chopsticks through the air. "It should be enough that I share a bed with her, trying to fulfil my duty. But there's no need to treat this marriage anything else than the charade it is."
"Fucking hell, Kama, that's cold, even for you," Susumu whispered on the other side of Koguma, sending a sweet smile to his wife upon her curious glance.
"Fuck you," Kama spat back just as sweetly, sending Kagami opposite him a teasing smirk upon his own inquisitive look.
"No, fuck you," Susumu whispered into his bowl.
"No fucking anyone," Koguma hissed, already getting tired of their constant bickering.
Hiruzen snorted into his sake on the other side of the table, apparently haven heard his words. Biwako looked at him with concern as she clapped his back to save him from choking.
"Of course you'd say that," Susumu stubbornly added, apparently wanting to have the final word in that matter.
"As far as you know."
"So kami help me," Koguma breathed out between clenched teeth, his frustration and irritation clear in his voice. "Stop acting so damn childish." He set down his bowl and chopsticks with an loud clatter and rose to his feet. All guests lowered their own food slightly startled, but team Tobirama's eyes immediately flickered to Kama, deeming him the cause for Koguma's foul mood.
"Nami-chan, I think Ryujin will need to have her diaper changed-" he waited shortly, "right about now." Kama's nose crunched on cue, forcing him to slightly lean back from the table. Koguma walked over to her and held out his arms in request upon her wanting to get up herself.
"But I didn't bring any-"
"That's alright. We'll be back before you know it." She hesitated for another second, but after Kagami's short urging, she pressed the stirring baby into his arms. He gave a short nod to all the others and then made his way out of the front door.
Truly, Ryujin should be classified a biochemical weapon for the smell alone- it was stinging in his nose and making his eyes water, but any excuse for shortly leaving Susumu and Kama behind had been good enough to him. He cradled her in one of his arms as he made his way across town. At first he only wanted to travel slowly to truly enjoy the cool evening, but the stench alone was spurring him on to take the quick route across the roofs.
He arrived at Nami's house only five minutes later and easily slipped inside through the front door. Trying to make his way through the nursery's window would have been utter suicide- Kagami had rigged that one with all kind of deadly traps. The house was silent as his feet softly tapped across the wooden boards.
"Don't take it personal, cub," he muttered as he grabbed a piece of cloth out of the kitchen, before making his way to her nursery. There he put her down on the wooden dresser and then proceeded to bind the cloth around the lower half of his face. "I'd might have to take on a permanent mask once Susumu actually manages to procreate. Otherwise I'll lose my sense of smell by the third week."
Then he braced himself and started to wrap her out of her diaper, a new cotton cloth and some wet wipes from a water basin at the door at the ready. While he proceeded to clean her up, trying his best to look through his watering eyes, he mumbled, "You know, there's nothing better than having siblings. Truly, you will love your little sister once she comes out-" he paused in his words. "Don't tell your parents. They want it to be a surprise this time around. I'm more astonished Kagami hasn't yet asked me to find out if Denji will give him a boy or girl." He proceeded to wipe off her bottom. "It's going to be a boy," he whispered to her like a conspirator. "So maybe he'll be able to spend more time with your kaasan after that. Having fulfilled his duty and all."
He chugged the dirty wipes into a pot standing just to the right of him for that purpose. "But then again, siblings can also be really obnoxious. Sometimes I wonder if I had driven my onisan up the wall as much as Susumu does with me." He paused as he started to wrap the fresh cotton around her bottom. "Well, my onisan was a very patient person, I think. At least that's how I remember him. So maybe he wouldn't have used a stinky diaper to get out of the need to sit beside me." He paused in his movements, looking right through Ryujin. "Maybe that makes me a terrible brother after all."
He finished her up, pulled the cloth down from his lower face and tickled her tummy just to get her to giggle in delight. "And then Kama-" he shook his head, tickling her softly once more. "Better not think too much about that." He paused, mindful of keeping his lips closed as he smiled at her, knowing that he had scared her once before with his sharp canines. Then he lifted her up, hesitated, and almost shyly rubbed his cheek against the child's cheek.
She smelled like warm milk and soft blankets and a bit like Nami and Kagami-
She smelled innocent.
A deep satisfied hum built itself up in his chest, making Ryujin giggle once more as she shook her fists at him. He tugged his wrapped top open and put her gently inside, once again starting to slowly growl (he was refusing to call it a purr) at her. Then he lifted the pot with the dirty wipes and diaper and brought it out to the back of the house, where he filled it with cold water from the well.
"That'll be a problem for your kaasan to solve tomorrow," he told her cheerfully as he put the pot down next to the back door.
Making his way back through the house, he set back all the traps he had deactivated, put on his sandals once more and then went out the front door. Now he truly took his time along the streets, enjoying the feel of the warm sunset on his face. He secured Ryujin through his wrapped top with his left arm, making sure she didn't bump too much with every step of his, even as he tried his best to make them as fluid and soft as possible. Some people shot him weird glances, seeing him cradle a bundle through his clothes, the sounds of a baby gurgling coming out from it. But whenever someone opened their mouths as if to comment, his beady eyes locked onto them, daring them to say something. That made them quickly reconsider.
He didn't hesitate when he entered the civilian district and walked up to Susumu's and Kikyo's house. Already when shoving the front door open, he could hear the voices shortly halt in their conversation in the dining room. He tugged Ryujin out of his top and playfully rolled his eyes at her as she stared at him. He made his way into the room, immediately noticing how Kagami and Nami's attention zeroed in on them, as if he would have managed losing or hurting her in the half hour that he had been gone. Maybe he should just consider himself blessed that his friends even trusted him enough to let him take their child away from them.
He handed Ryujin over to her mother and walked over to his spot, plonking down on it with a relaxed sigh. He did notice how both Kama and Susumu refused looking at him and instead hunched their shoulders as if ready to be lectured. Perhaps they already had been, seeing Kikyo's and Nari's stormy expressions. Koguma just ignored them and continued eating from his bowl as if nothing had happened.
Once everyone was stuffed to the brim, Hiruzen pulled out two bottles of sake he had apparently hidden his clothes, which quickly got passed around the table. Ryujin was by then already fast asleep, not noticing how her father chucked back one cup after another, grinning like a fool as he looked down at his family. Danzo and Hiruzen had somehow ended up caught in a drinking game- they tried to come up with words starting with the last syllable of the previous one. Koguma was somehow convinced Hiruzen was losing on purpose and he thought Danzo knew as well, if his slightly bitter look was anything to go by.
"Have you heard that the kazekage actually refused taking on a bijuu and instead wanted to be compensated through land and money?" Kikyo whispered to Nari.
"The only clever man in that room," Koguma mumbled into his cup.
"Clever?" Biwako spoke up, apparently having a sense of hearing like a bat. "Foolish more like it. Snubbing a room full of powerful men like that. He nearly started a war with his stubbornness."
"And yet he got what he wanted, no?" Nari replied. "Land for his people to live on." She tapped with her fingers on the table, watching the other men through her eyelashes. "You people of the Land of Fire have no idea how precious land is. Land you can work on, land that gives back instead of taking. Land to feed your kin with- it is the most precious ware on this planet."
"Hear, hear," Kama muttered, stuffing a ball of dango into his mouth, while Koguma tapped his cup onto the table in agreement.
"Yes, and he forwent getting a piece of power for it," Biwako spat.
"He already has a tailed beast, no?" Kikyo intercepted, filling up the other two women's cups with sake. "What would he need more for?"
"The raikage bought two-"
"I don't think power for the sake of power is anything we should strive for," Kikyo added.
"It'll be a fragile peace at best," Kagami spoke up, apparently not as drunk as Koguma thought he was. "A peace based on fear? Everyone having the ultimate weapon and the threat of turning it against each other responsible for keeping them in check?" He shook his head. "I heard Tobirama-sensei and hokage-sama argue over the matter. It was the first time they truly fought over something."
"It brought money into our village," Danzo argued against. "Soon enough we'll be the biggest and wealthiest hidden village among them. Our people will prosper, others will learn to fear us and if need be-" he lifted his sake cup, "we have the God of Shinobi and his genius brother at our side. Nothing will ever be able to touch us." He dipped his drink back in one go.
"Even gods die at one point. If not in battle, then through old age. What then?" Koguma held against.
"By then we'll have taken up their legacy," the Shimura spat out with conviction. "All of us would defend the village until our dying breath, no matter the cost. Even if it means obliterating all others to do so."
Hiruzen glanced at him out of the corner of his eyes, his head ever so slightly nodding in support.
"Isn't that the same thought process that had spurred on the warring states era?" Susumu drawled, turning his cup over between his fingers. "All for ourselves, fuck the others? Didn't get us very far, did it? "
Danzo slammed his cup down on the table, pointing his finger at the white haired man. "There will always be us and them. Otherwise there wouldn't be the words for it. Only this time there isn't us as clans, but us as a village. Don't be so naïve to think that all nations will ever happily hold hands and sing songs."
Susumu scoffed, clearly disinterested in keeping the conversation going.
"I tell you," Danzo continued, "war will be coming sooner or later. Better we are prepared for it instead of getting caught by surprise."
Silence met his declaration, the mood in the room plummeting. Then Hiruzen wrapped his arm around Danzo's shoulder, filling his cup with an unsteady hand as he said, "No more of that. Let's just finish the sake, before it turns bad." His friend seemed to hesitate at the request, before drinking it in one go.
At that point Nami got up from her spot, announcing that she's better take Ryujin to bed. Kagami and she took their leave, prompting Nari to get up as well. She looked at Kama expectantly, but he just waved at her to go on ahead, instead pushing into Koguma's personal space again to drawl something about training the next day. For a moment Koguma's and her eyes met- there was sadness, frustration and something else that he couldn't quite place lining her face as she took in Kama's hand lying on his arm and him shrugging it off. Then she too followed Kagami and Nami out into the hallway.
It was two o'clock in the morning by the time all sake was spent. Koguma had gained a whole new heap of respect for Biwako for sticking through to the end, even when her husband had started spewing the weirdest theories about Hatake- that idiot had actually let slip that they had written a list on the uses of Hatake clan members in general medicine and even betrayed his trust by proclaiming he would purr to Ryujin to calm her down. Honestly, Susumu would never let him live down the latter, while that madman Kama had immediately jumped at the idea of getting his hands on that list.
He was even more impressed, when Biwako actually managed helping Hiruzen up and leaned his weight onto her to drag him back to their house. Danzo had already left through the front door without another word, looking slightly pale around his nose.
"You sure you don't need help with that?" Koguma called out, seeing her struggle with putting sandals on his feet.
"I'm alright," she panted, sternly pushing her husband back down, as he tried to jump up and wake up the whole neighbourhood with his holler. "And I think you've got your own package to carry," she added, giving a meaningful glance to the staggering form of Kama.
"Don't remind me." She chuckled over his exhausted sigh.
Plates cluttered behind them as Susumu tried to come to his feet, Kikyo sending him an equally fond and tired look while trying to herd him to the bedroom. As if only seeing him now, his brother slipped out of her grasp and instead flung himself against his chest, making Koguma, who had drunk some cups or ten himself, shortly stumble as well.
"Kogu," he gasped, his breath reeking of strong liquor, "Kogu-" his hands grabbed at the front of his top, harshly tugging him down to his eyelevel. His gaze was intense as he stared at him and Koguma was already bracing himself for some alcohol induced truths being spat at him-
"Get home safe."
He chuckled hearing it and gently tapped his forehead against his brother's. "Of course. You have a good night with Kikyo."
Susumu started giggling like a little girl, letting him go only to stagger back to his wife. "Oh, we will," he slurred.
Kikyo looked over his shoulder to Koguma and Biwako snorting in the background, mouthing 'We will not.' That moment Kama staggered into him as he tried to get to his own shoes, so Koguma simply bid them a good night and helped his friend to the front door. Once sitting down, he leaned heavily against Hiruzen's shoulders, hooded eyes silently taking in how he took up one feet after the other to strap his shoes to them.
Finding Kama rather more compliant than Hiruzen had apparently been, he and Biwako finished at the same time. Koguma helped her heave her husband up and lay his arm across her shoulder, letting her stagger out of the front door first. Then he pulled up his own friend, who immediately latched onto him, and followed, making sure to rig the traps behind him as he went.
Once outside on the street, he bid both a humming Hiruzen and an exhausted Biwako farewell and then turned into the opposite direction with Kama.
"I wanna go piggy," the silver haired man slurred against his neck as his head tumbled from one side to the other. The words made Koguma shortly falter in his step, his heart clenching as he remembered Risu demanding the same thing on Susumu's birthday two years ago.
"I don't care what you want," he spat back.
Silence met his declaration, before Kama almost whispered, "Don't push me away, Kogu." Hearing the pained words, he already regretted having reacted so cruelly. But he chose to ignore them and instead continued dragging Kama back to the Hatake compound.
They arrived at his and Nari's house in silence. He helped him all the way up to the front door, but then made him lean against the wall and tugged the door open. "Go on," he muttered in a low voice, mindful of not waking any residents.
"Just gonna leave me standing here?" Kama teased, his smirk all crooked and faltering.
Koguma shot him a blank look. "You're a big boy. I'm sure you can handle stumbling into your bed yourself. And if not, Nari will surely show you the way."
"She's got her own bedroom." His lips were pinched into a pout, while swaying back and forth to keep his balance.
"She better have for her peace of mind," Koguma replied, already noticing as he said it that his attempt at a joke failed miserably.
For a moment Kama's eyes locked with his, pouting expression drawing into blank hurt. Then he plastered on a smile, shoving himself off the wall to step into the house. "Yeah, I imagine it's hard for anyone to be with me."
"Kama-"
"I'm sorry for riling up Susumu-" he paused, hands clasped harshly around the doorframe. "I get it."
"Kama-" his friend waved him off, before he staggered into the house and closed the door with a harsh shove.
"Shit," he cursed, already lifting his hand to shove the door open. But then he hesitated and lowered it again. He turned around as if to leave and then turned back to face the door. "Shit." He nearly tore out tufts of his hair as he tugged through it, body slouching forward underneath his angered groan. Continuing to turn in semi-circles, he shout-whispered, "You- I- you absolute dimwit!" His chest was heaving with pants and he was starting to feel nauseous from the drinks. "Fuck this," he croaked, his deep and gruff voice shortly breaking, before he turned away from the door one last time and made his way to the street.
He hadn't even noticed that no steps had sounded behind the closed door to indicate that Kama had actually stumbled further into the house.
They truly were coming one after another at them, an endless wave of foolish goons heading straight into their reach. They had to be completely stupid to charge at two men wielding swords like they were an extension of their arms.
"You're in an awfully good mood today," Susumu cackled as he chopped one's bandit arm clean off. "I should've joined you to the pub."
Koguma took care of a man trying to get a jump at his brother from behind. "I am." He couldn't stop his wild grin even if he wanted to- last night at the pub had been good and getting a long hunt to a satisfying end always riled his blood. He liked his prey scared and knowing that there was no escaping them. It had taken this group six hours to accept their fate and instead try to face them head on.
Not that it would help them in any way.
A large gust of wind cleared some of the path in front of them. Koguma turned to face the figure to his right, arms still raised and sent Danzo a delighted whoop. The Shimura was always acting all cocky and too-good-for-thou, but even he couldn't hide the excited twinkle to his eyes. Really, it appears team Tobirama got all the nice missions. Had he known, he would have latched onto their roster much sooner than this.
Koguma swapped position half way across the swampy forest with Kagami, pulling him out of harm's way before a man-sized axe could cleave him in two. His opponent had lost his head before he even knew what was happening. Hiruzen was evening the battle ground with that staff of his, batting them away as if they were flies buzzing above his iced-tea and Kama jumped at them from all sides, his chakra sword glowing with every strike.
It was absolutely fantastic.
At one point, he found himself opposite a man wielding two sabres at the same time with such accuracy and deft, that he simply couldn't bring himself to leave him to Danzo. Instead he swooped in and charged at him with his uncle's slightly smaller and therefore handier kodachi. He wouldn't want to make the same mistake his cousin Yasashiko had made in his fight against Den all those years ago.
He was good- too good to be in this ragged little band at the very edge of the border to the Land of Waterfalls. Whatever had driven him away from wherever he had learned to wield swords like that, it must have truly been something irrevocable. He guessed Land of Water by the style of it. It reminded him of taking on Jin on a good day.
Their strikes were neat and precise, not wasting any energy on flashy moves. This was a battle to the death after all, no need to show off. When the man actually managed to make a clear cut through his left ear, slightly cleaving the outer shell while doing so, Koguma gave him an appraising look.
"It's been a long time," he called out as he wiped away some of the blood running down his jaw.
"Then let me remind you," the other man called with a toneless voice.
"That's the spirit." Koguma grinned as they charged against each other once more, sparks flying between their blades as steel crashed upon steel.
He had, until then, refrained from using any other jutsu, seeing that his opponent did as well, leaving him truly only with the basics his father and then Jin had taught him. Maybe he had to admit he had been getting a bit rusty. Especially if he chose to not rely on fast escapes and surprise attacks through his kawarimi. Another slice against his waist, luckily only damaging fabric and not skin, had him slightly stumble backwards to gain some space to breath. But so did his opponent have to, seeing that Koguma had given him a deep cut across his lower arm.
Now it was his opponent's turn to look at the blood darkening his sleeve and trickling down his fingers, as he admitted, "It had been a while."
"Then I'm glad to have reminded you," Koguma shot back. They took each other in for a second longer, the corner of the man's mouth actually raising slightly upwards, before they resumed their fight.
At one point, Koguma noticed that he and his opponent were some of the last ones fighting. His concentration slipped for a second as he saw that the numbers of bodies on the ground didn't match the original number of their targets. It almost cost him the tip of his nose. But when he noticed a distinct lack of white fluffy hair anywhere near him, it cost him a deep cut halfway across his entire upper body.
His opponent only got a second's warning, before Koguma abandoned all mirth and charged at him with the intention to finish up in three strikes.
A cut through the back of his upper legs, making him stumble.
A stab through his lower thigh, pinching him in place.
A strike with his father's odachi through his lower arm, making him holler in pain.
He kicked the sabres out of his grip and instead pushed down with his knee onto the man's spine, holding a kunai against his throat.
"Dead," he spat. "But it would be wasteful killing you."
"Don't you dare pity me," the man underneath him seethed.
Koguma simply scoffed and put away his kunai. He stood up, tugged his sword out of the man again and instead sheathed it back at his side. Kama was by him in a second, his own sabre now pressed against the man's neck. "Where's Susumu?"
The Hatake spared a glance across the swamp, his nose flaring as he tried picking up his scent. "I don't know."
"You don't-" he started, but then made his way across the swamp, trying to search for his brother on his own. His steps were squelching in the muddy ground as he abandoned all care for sending chakra into them. For a moment he saw pale hair floating in the murky water, making his heart stop, but as he raced towards the body and tugged it around, it was a stranger's dead eyes staring back at him.
"Where's Susumu?" he shouted while dropping the body, making the rest of team Tobirama startle. "Where is he?"
"I don't know-" Kagami ventured, his own red eyes scanning the swamp. "But we're missing at least four of our targets as well."
Koguma was heaving with the effort to breathe calmly, his fangs bared and fighting the growl working its way up his chest. He twisted around his own axis, nostrils flaring as he tried to pick up his scent of honey, wood and feathers between the stench of blood and spilled guts.
"Oho," Danzo chuckled without any humour. "They fucked up." He elbowed Hiruzen into his side, making him hiss with the wound he had received there himself.
For a moment it looked like Koguma would snap at him, but then it was as if a flip was switched within - Koguma went completely still, mouth still pulled into a snarl, but the growling ceased to rumble through him and eyes fixed onto a faraway point in between the trees to the south. It wasn't even shunshin he used, he needed to keep track of the scent after all, but still his form was but a blur as he raced off.
"Shit-" Kama spat, before taking up chase.
"Sage," Hiruzen mumbled, sparing a glance at the incredulous looking swordsman still lying in the muck. "It seems it's your lucky day." Then team Tobirama left as well.
Between Kama and Koguma, the first definitely was the quicker one, but right then he had a hard time keeping up with him. And even when he finally did, he didn't charge right next to him and instead placed himself in his peripherals slightly to the left- He was all too aware that one shouldn't startle a Hatake when they were like this. He had been there himself many times before after all.
Then he too let his nostrils flare- yes, they were definitely on the right track. His obnoxious scent of feathers was prickling in his nose and so was the scent of stale sweat from his captors. Really, what an absolute buffoon for letting himself get kidnapped. What was he, a damsel in distress? Because of his negligence Koguma was losing his shit, terror seeping out of him and drowning out the Hatake mountains. He hated seeing him like this. It was making him twitchy and bursting with pent-up anxiety as well.
When Koguma shortly hesitated in his step as they jumped over another puddle of bracket water, he grabbed him by his shoulder and pushed him slightly westwards. He knew his sense of smell was sharper than Koguma's and it was better to get this over with as quickly as possible.
It made his heart swell seeing that he didn't even doubt his word and immediately followed suit- truly, having Koguma not even snarl for touching him was surprise enough already. They kept silent as they made their way through the dead forest, Kama now leading up front and Koguma with his bared teeth and wide blown pupils right behind him, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides.
He pulled his odachi a second before Kama did, apparently unable to keep back anymore- and then they were upon them. To be fair, Susumu had apparently put up a fight, even bound and gagged as he was. Two opponents were down already, one sporting a broken neck and the other clutching at his leg where a piece of bone was sticking out of. The other six didn't even have a chance as Koguma went at them-
A chopped of head, a cut throat, a stab through an eyeball, a slice splitting a man into two from his groin to the top of his head and a messy slice right through a shoulder down to the chest. The last man standing was clutching at his bowls slithering out of his stomach before he had even so much as been able to contemplate running away.
Koguma roared in anger, driving his blade right through the man's mouth, making him shut up in his shrieking. Then he too tumbled into the swampy water with a splash.
Kama hadn't even needed to lift a finger.
Letting his blade slip out of his grasp, Koguma made his way over to a panting Susumu. He tugged the gag out of his mouth with gentle care, before slicing through the ropes binding his arms with a kunai.
"I told them they had to be absolutely mad," the pale-haired man tried to joke, his throat still patchy from the ordeal. "I mean, what were they even hoping to accomplish? Use me as a bargaining chip? Idiots." Koguma turned him back and forth, trying to find any signs of injuries, even tugging up the hem of his trousers to take a look at his bloody leg. Susumu let him do it with a patience that he usually didn't know from the man.
Koguma let out a relieved and slightly shaky sigh upon finding no life-threatening injuries and instead tugged him close to his chest in a trembling embrace. "I'm sorry for not realising earlier." His voice was pressed and alien in its tone.
"Ah, no worries." Susumu's voice on the other hand got muffled against his broad chest. "Was rather an experience. Four out of five would recommend."
"Not five?" Koguma retorted, still sounding as if only reading the text from a book, not actually saying it, while burying his face into Susumu's slightly damp hair.
"No, I doubt you liked it."
"No, I didn't."
Feet splattered in the water as finally team Tobirama showed up as well- really, Kama was already doubting their tracking skills with all the clues of slightly too much chakra force to branches or the ground he had left. "Are we interrupting a moment?" Hiruzen joked as he walked up to the two men.
Koguma tensed underneath his approach, a growl working his way up his chest- he hastily grabbed the man by the back of his clothes, tugging him back again. What an idiot. Kama didn't keep his distance for nothing. The scare was still embedded in Koguma's bones and they really shouldn't think he could be anywhere rational right now. At least Susumu seemed to have understood that much with how he quiet he kept under his brother's administrations.
Hiruzen raised his hands in defeat, retracing his steps to his team. Koguma's grip didn't relax, even when he continued burying his face into Susumu's hair. Danzo, on the other hand, was taking in the carnage all around, omitting a slow whistle while doing so. "Damn, Koguma, why couldn't you go at them like this before? Would have spared Hiruzen the embarrassment of being injured." Hiruzen spluttered in his position, trying to laugh it off.
That bit of normality seemed to make Koguma calm down a little, as his grip lessened on Susumu, giving him the chance to take some deep breaths himself.
"He's alright, Kogu," Kama ventured. "Come on, let's get him home to Kikyo, no?"
Slowly, Koguma pulled his arms back from him and gave him the opportunity to step out of his embrace. Susumu's face was now stained with blood from the sluggishly bleeding gash at Koguma's chest. Both men stared at each other for a moment, before Koguma raised his hands to rub with his sleeves at Susumu's face, the last of the tension leaving his body.
"Yeah, yeah. Let's," he agreed. But Kama couldn't stop staring at the injury- it looked deep and the entire front of his dark shirt was glistening with blood.
"First we need to wrap up some wounds," Kagami intervened, his own sharingan flickering between Koguma's wound and Hiruzen clutching at his bloody side.
Koguma scoffed, grabbed Susumu at his arm and pulled him to a nearby tree, ordering him to sit down. Then he pulled out a pack from his pouch, roaming through it with slightly shaking hands and pulled out a roll of bandages. He ordered Susumu to lift his leg and pulled up his hem. After drenching it with disinfectant, he wrapped the wound, apparently completely ignoring his own, more serious injury.
Kagami was already busy helping Hiruzen bandage his cut, while Danzo pulled some finger-long splinters out of his right shoulder, so he didn't expect any help from their corner. Probably were still keen on keeping a distance to Koguma, should he snap after all.
Unable to watch Koguma sway on his spot anymore, he sheathed his sabre he had still been clutching at and made his way over to him. He grabbed the man harshly at his shoulders and forced him to let go of Susumu's leg. That idiot could bandage himself for all he cared.
"Pull up your shirt," he ordered as he knelt down in front of him, hands roaming through his own pouches to pull out some disinfectant, gauze and bandages. Koguma shot him a blank look as if he was actually planning on refusing his request. Kama scoffed and bared his teeth, before barking, "Now." He was done indulging him in his blatant disregard for his own well-being. So typically Hatake, really.
For a moment pure defiance crossed his face, but then rationality seemed to kick in, as he started to lift his shirt with a cringe. Kama considered helping him when hearing his painful hiss, yet the thought must have been written all over his face. Koguma gave him an indignant scoff and pulled the fabric over his head in a slightly shaky movement.
Blood was seeping out of the wound going from his lower right rib, right up to his throat and running down in streams on his broad chest and steely abdomen. Really, at this point even the front of his trousers had to be drenched in it as well. His muscles twitched underneath his tan skin as Kama started wiping away the worst of it with some clean gauze drenched with alcohol. His lips were pulled into a pained snarl, but not a sound left Koguma's throat underneath the burning sensation he most surely had to be feeling.
Once the wound was as clean as it was going to get, Kama proceeded to pick up the bandages and secured some more gauze underneath it as he wrapped it tightly around his torso and up to his neck. It would most certainly leave a noticeable scar, especially if it didn't get sewed shut soon.
He regarded his work with some scepticism when he was finished and a new droplet of blood on the stark wide material had him take in Koguma's face. There was a small trail of blood seeping down his jaw, coming out from underneath his hair. Slowly reaching out with his hand he tugged his hair behind his ear-
Split. Or rather cut. The entire upper half of it. It would need to get stitched if he ever hoped that it would look normal again.
He felt Koguma's gaze on his face, but he had a hard time ignoring the ugly injury. "You're getting sloppy."
Koguma hummed in reply, his chest vibrating with the sound of it. "I need to train my swordsmanship. I could barely hold my ground without any jutsu"
Kama scoffed without any mirth. "You need to be less arrogant."
"Maybe that as well."
Only then did Kama's eyes snap to Koguma's. They were relatively small and almost as dark as the pupils inside them, but still managed to convey more emotion than most of the people he knew could with their entire face. Well, most of the time. Now he wasn't too sure what to make of them.
Really, sometimes he just wanted to-
"Let's get going," Susumu interrupted his train of thought. He glanced at him out of the corner of his eyes, seeing the resentment in his gaze and noticed his tense figure.
Oh, how he hated when he did that.
Koguma lifted from his position with a groan, putting on his shirt as he did so. The rest of the group was following suit and already busy putting the last of their actual targets into sealing scrolls. As he watched Koguma stumble to grab his sword, a harsh grip at his arm had him stop in going to his aid.
"Stay the fuck away from him," Susumu seethed into his ear, his breath making him shudder with the urge to hide his neck. The man didn't even spare him a glance as he walked up to Koguma, tugging through his hair as he did so. Kama wasn't listening to what kind of joke he cracked to get Koguma smiling like that, only able to concentrate on the hint of dimples appearing on his cheeks, the tips of his fangs peeking out underneath his upper lip and dipping in the slightly fuller lower one, the corner of his eyes crinkling a little-
He turned away sharply, instead walking up to take lead.