Living Arrangements
Izumo smacked his friend's arm and glared, wrapping an arm around Kotetsu's neck and grinding his other fist into the wild mess of hair. Kotetsu struggled against him, laughing. "You two having fun?" Izuki looked back at them, a smile lighting her face. Izumo immediately stopped, turning bright red and leaving his mouth open, fumbling for words. "He wants to say 'Sorry.'" Kotetsu spoke for him. "SHUDDUP! I CAN SPEAK FOR MYSELF!" Izumo shouted at Kotetsu and Izuki giggled, her nose wrinkling as she turned back around to face forward.
Izumo let out a breath and watched her, a drunken look spreading over his face. Kotetsu shook his head with a laugh, "So first off, shall we find you living quarters?" he asked Izuki. "Might as well." she shrugged and slowed down so she was walking in-between the two of them. "What hotels to you suggest?" she asked. "Well, there are some all-female ones on Fan-Fan Street." Kotetsu shrugged, "And most of the best are there, so it can't hurt to look." he added.
"What do you think quiet boy?" she smiled. "Huh?" An intelligent answer. "Oh! Yeah…Fan-Fan Street…good hotels…" Izumo nodded his agreement and Izuki laughed again, noticing how Izumo kept spacing out, "Something on your mind?" she asked him, her golden eyes turned to him." "Uh, no…not really." he smiled to her, his stomach fluttering around, making it harder to hold the smile.
Once reaching Fan-Fan Street, Izuki looked around, scanning the area. "Seems livable, maybe a little too cheery for me but, eh." she sighed and continued walking. "Too cheery? For a woman!" Kotetsu seemed shocked. "Hey, not all women are bubbling things of joy." Izuki shrugged and looked over at Izumo, "Wouldn't you agree?" she asked. "Hmm?" Another intelligent answer. "Oh, yeah, completely." Izumo nodded. "Do you even know what I said?" she chuckled a little. "Um." Izumo was on a roll today with the intellectual answers. "Yeah! Of course! You were talking about women…" Izumo grinned. "What about them?" Izuki smiled a little, knowing he had no answer. "Well…" Izumo finally sighed, "I don't know…" he said. Izuki touched his shoulder with a laugh, "Cute." she said and kept walking, stopping in front of an all female hosting hotel. "I'd like to get one room for about a week." she said to the man. "Hai, name?" the man asked, looking up at her. "Samitori Izuki." she said and paid in advance. "Arigato." the man bowed his head to her and watched as she walked off with Kotetsu and Izumo.
Kotetsu was watching Izumo's face as his friend tried to sort out hi emotions. What did she mean by 'Cute.' I mean, did she mean I was cute, or that my stupidity was cute? GRR! Izumo finally gave up and realized his shoulder had that tingly feeling again. "Alright, so where do you two hang out?" she tilted her head slightly, a smile on her face as a few stands of silvery hair fell into her eyes. "Well, there's a bar back near the Hokage's Tower where we usually go and have some sake, some more than others, and then we usually go home." Kotetsu shrugged. "Alright, show me this bar." she smiled, looking over at Izumo who's thoughts were somewhere else.
Izumo sat silently at the bar, staring at the counter and taking sips of his sake gradually. Kotetsu was telling Izuki about Konoha, when it became apparent that the trio were the only ones left in the bar. "So Izumo, you still having problems being single?" the bartender leaned forward again. This sudden question caught Kotetsu and Izuki's attention and caused Izumo to spit out his sake. "Uh, yeah…sure…" Izumo slouched a little, knowing Izuki was staring at him. Kotetsu broke the tension by continuing telling Izuki about Konoha and all that had happened because of Orochimaru.
"That's horrible! So the two Stupid Brothers attacked you two and the other two Jounins?" Izuki said after Kotetsu told her one story. "Yeah…" Kotetsu shrugged, "There was another time chasing that Uchiha kid, where Izumo was all pinned against this tree, about to die and I was laying on the ground." Kotetsu said, forgetting to stop drinking and pulling an Izumo.
Izuki looked over at Izumo, "That must of hurt, huh?" she asked. "Hmm? Yeah." he nodded, he had no idea what she had said, but he found with women that it was easier to just grin, nod, and agree. "What's up with you? You're not even paying attention." she touched his back in a friendly way, but the touch was almost enough to make Izumo flinch away. "The boy here has girlfriend problems." the bartender whispered to Izuki. "E-E-Excuse me! If anyone wanted you to say anything they would've told you!" Izumo stuttered.
Izuki laughed again, and repeated herself from before, "Cute." Izumo blinked a few times, what did she mean by that? It was driving him insane! The thought just played with his mind, why was it woman could have their cute little laugh like that and say "cute" but the guy doesn't even know what she means by it! Izumo finally sighed and smiled, "Sure." he said and took a sip of sake. "Well, I must be off, Izumo, don't make me come get you again." Kotetsu said and paid the bill, standing and leaving.
"So you have a bit of a drinking problem?" Izuki poked Izumo's glass, nearly tipping it over. "No, I just drink a lot when I'm thinking, and then when I can't think anymore, I stop." Izumo said with a little laugh. "Right, okay hot-shot whatever you say." Izuki teased. Izumo laughed a little and took a small sip of sake. "I best be getting you back to your hotel, hmm?" he said, he wasn't quiet sure how these words were forming, but sure enough, they were coming out of his mouth.
"Sure." she said and waited to see something. Izumo dug out enough money to pay both of their tabs and smiled to her. He's a real gentleman. Good. Izuki thought and smiled, following him out of the bar. "You don't have to take me back, I'll be fine." she said. "It's not proper to let a lady walk home alone." Izumo said and sighed to himself. A valuable trait in a man… Izuki thought and then shook her head a little. Where were these thoughts coming from? Surely not from her own mind, but then…where else would they be coming from!
"So…um, here's my hotel." Izuki smiled and touched Izumo's arm, "Thanks!" she turned back to him, just before disappearing. "Yeah…" Izumo breathed and walked back to the street his apartment was on, before opening the door he jumped around a little, he was glad Kotetsu had left before him, and his entire body was tingling. It may take a while for he and Izuki to finally hit it off, but he was willing to wait.