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Chapter 13 - Repeating History
Genma leaned against the doorframe. "So, you going to invite me in or just stare?"
The tattooed ninja recovered from her shock and stepped aside. "Come in." She hadn't thought Genma had meant for them to catch up tonight. She was tired and hadn't slept well the night before.
The Tokujo had taken off his sandals, making himself at home on her couch, the bottles of sake sitting on the table. She did enjoy his company and he had brought good alcohol. She decided he could stay, for a while anyway.
Retrieving cups, she sat beside him. He filled her cup then filled his. He smiled and took a sip. "Everyone else was out of the village or busy. So it's just us."
"Feels like the old days…. How've you been? Any new lady friends?"
She received a chuckle from him for her efforts. "No, that's Aoba's life story. A new girlfriend every three weeks it seems. What about you? Met any handsome men on your travels?"
"Plenty. But I like brains along with looks."
Genma laughed again and they talked about her travels for a time. He filled his empty cup with the dregs of the first bottle of sake. "So how's everything up here?" He tapped the side of his head.
"Fine, more or less," she said as they opened the second bottle.
He frowned at her. "More or less?"
"I have more good days than bad."
Letting the subject drop, Genma was quiet for a while before speaking again. "Sorry I haven't come to see you before now. I didn't want to believe you were actually back."
"It's all right. It's my fault too for not trying to get in touch." The auburn-haired woman lay a hand on his arm and smiled. In a heartbeat, she was on her back on the couch, her drink tumbling to the floor. Genma hovered over her. She stared into his brown eyes, trying to gauge his thoughts through two hazes of alcohol. "Well...we've been in this situation before."
He smirked, not breaking eye contact. "Yes, we have. But I'm much less drunk. I've built up quite a tolerance since you've been gone." His gaze softened and he buried his face in her neck, breathing in her scent. His voice was rough with what Amaya could only identify as desire, but he made no move to touch her. "Gods, I've missed you."
Amaya didn't move at first; moving might break the spell that her presence had cast over the older Tokujo.
Softly, so quietly she didn't think she was mean to hear, Genma whispered into her hair. "I love you."
She decided later it was the sake that made her lift his head and press her lips to his.
He pulled back, though she could see it took all of his will to do so. "I won't take advantage of you."
"What if I say yes?"
The Jonin gave her a half-smile. "That's the sake talking."
"Maybe, but I'm not that drunk either." She kissed him again. This time, he didn't fight.
Sunlight woke Amaya. Shielding her eyes, she sat up with a pounding head. She couldn't remember how she got in her bed. Flashes of memory bounced around her mind, but the auburn-haired shinobi couldn't pin anything down for more than a moment. Rising onto unsteady legs, she half walked, half stumbled into the living room. Amaya saw one empty bottle of sake on its side and one half full sitting near its partner on the coffee table. The rug underneath the table sported a new stain, spreading from an overturned cup. Her eyes finally reached the couch itself.
A green flak jacket was slung over the back.
All at once, her memories flooded back and she covered her mouth with a hand. The last thing she remembered was kissing Genma. Something white caught her eye as she sat on the couch, her mind racing, desperately trying to remember what happened next. She picked up the piece of paper from the table and unfolded it.
Dear Amaya,
Before you come to beat answers from me, I swear on the safety of Konoha that nothing happened. Your travels caught up with you and you fell asleep in my arms. I put you to bed. I spent the night on your couch and left in the morning. I wish I could pretend that what did happen last night didn't, that would be easier, but I can't. Can we meet again this weekend to talk? No sake this time, I swear.
Forever Yours,
Genma
Amaya checked her calendar; today was Tuesday. She wrote her reply on a scrap of paper and stuck her note into Genma's forgotten jacket. She'd meet with him, if only to hear him out.
Her emotions were in a tangled knot that she didn't want to deal with, so she decided to take a shower and then take Genma's jacket back to him. Until she was clean and her hair dry, Amaya didn't realize that she didn't know where Genma lived anymore. The tattooed Jonin scooped the jacket into her arms, leaving her apartment and ascending the stairs. She knocked on Kakashi's door.
When he answered, his hair was in its usual state of disarray, but she could see in his one open eye that she'd woken him. He yawned underneath his mask, setting aside the grumpy response he'd had ready for whoever was knocking at this ungodly hour of 11 A.M. "What's up?"
The red-and-black-clad Jonin had forgotten that Team 7 had been given a few days off. "Sorry I woke you up, but can you give me directions to Genma's place? He left this at my apartment last night." She held up the jacket.
"I'll be seeing him today," Kakashi said, stifling another yawn. "I can give it to him then."
"Thanks. I owe you one."
The Jonin said their goodbyes. Kakashi closed the door, tossing the jacket across the back of a chair, and crawled back into bed. He'd give Genma his jacket later
He sat up slowly and stared at the jacket. Why had Genma been at Amaya's? The Jonin showered and dressed, deciding that the Tokujo must have just gone to visit. He stopped with his mask half way pulled up. But then why had Genma been taking off his clothes? Glancing at the clock, he decided that, just this once, he'd be early.
Genma answered the door, shocked to see his silver-haired friend. He glanced at the nearby clock. They weren't supposed to meet up for another half hour and he hadn't planned to leave for another forty-five. He returned his gaze back to the masked Jonin. He didn't understand; Kakashi was never early.
The Copy-nin shoved something at him. "Amaya asked me to return this to you."
It was one of his flak jackets. "Oh, thanks. I've been looking all over for it."
When Kakashi didn't make any move to leave, Genma raised his eyes to meet his friend's. A fist shot toward his face. Dodging, the Special Jonin scrambled backwards as a kunai flew past. "What the hell, Kakashi?"
The Copy-nin threw another kunai. "I'm going to kill you."
"What'd I do?" Genma said, deflecting the kunai with the one now in his hand.
Abandoning the weapons, Kakashi opted to tackle and choke the brown-haired Jonin. Genma, trying to fend off the ex-Anbu's hands, noticed his roommate, Raido, leaning against the frame of the door to his room. Getting ready to leave for a mission, he had his sword, Kokuto, strapped to his back. He watched his roommate's struggle with amusement and then started to walk away.
"Rai, help me!" Genma called.
The scarred ninja stopped and turned slightly. "You ate the last waffle."
"You're still angry about that? Come on, Rai, don't be a child." Genma cried, gripping Kakashi's wrists so he could pull the Jonin's fingertips from his throat.
Rai sniffed. "You did it then too." The Jonin left without another word.
"Rai, come back. Raido!"
Nursing a split lip, Genma sat on his couch across from Kakashi, who sat in the recliner and held an ice pack to his own head. The brown-haired shinobi swallowed painfully; there'd be bruises for sure. "Well, now that you don't want to kill me, can you explain why you wanted to kill me?"
"Why were you at Amaya's last night?"
"This again? Oh, come on. Don't you know me well enough by now to know that I'd never hurt her? Why do you care anyway?"
"Answer my question."
Genma huffed a sigh. "I wanted to see her. I've been avoiding it since you told me she was back, but when we met at the gates, I couldn't hide anymore."
"Why'd you leave your jacket?"
"Who do you think you are? Inoichi?" Genma glared at the other Jonin. When he realized Kakashi expected an answer, he sighed again. "I forgot it. I slept off the sake at her place. And before you throw something at me, I slept on her couch." The Tokujo picked up his senbon from the table between them and rolled it between his fingers. "Trust me, I'd sooner die than do something she didn't want me to. But answer my question for a change. What does any of this have to do with you? It's not like you're dating anymore."
Kakashi was silent for a moment. "She's still important to me and I want her to be happy."
"That's all I want too." Genma lifted his chin a bit. "That's why I'm asking her out this weekend."
The silver-haired Jonin hadn't expected that. He'd been ready to tell Genma to leave Amaya alone, to let her start her new life in the village free from distractions. He'd been ready to say that she was better off without Genma, that he was doing more harm than good. Now, he didn't know what to say.
Genma smirked. "Tora got your tongue?"
"No. I just...didn't know you felt that way about her."
"Well, I couldn't do anything about it back then. But now I can."
"Then I wish you luck, my friend," Kakashi said through a forced smile. He wanted nothing more at that moment than to be alone.
