Genma walked into Lady Tsunade's office. He had heard her since he'd reached the top of the stairs outside the tower. She must be in a mood today he thought. He observed the dynamics of the room as he entered. Naruto was standing in front of her desk demanding a mission that was, in his opinion, worthy of his skill. Genma chuckled to himself, that boy was either going be Hokage someday or homeless and Genma wasn't betting on either one. He watched Naruto leave with a disappointed look on his face, he had obviously not gotten what he had wanted this time.
Tsunade looked up and noticed Genma. "Oh Hi Genma. Shizune's busy at the hospital this morning, could you take this paperwork to filing and drop it off for me?"
"Sure thing, Hokage-sama."
"Well, aren't you in a good mood this morning?" She smiled at him.
"It helps to be clean and well rested, Ma'am. But thank you." Genma enjoyed his job, yeah sure he complained about some of the tasks but overall he thought, his job was a good one and it suited him. He grabbed the pile of paperwork and headed for the filing room, which was downstairs. He wondered if he'd run into Umeko again. She had been sweet. In all the years he had been filing paperwork he didn't remember a clerk once addressing him by name or saying anything at all to him.
When he entered the filing room he saw her immediately, it was hard to miss her. She was sitting alone at her desk working on a stack of papers but when she looked up her eyes were swollen as if she had been crying. He went over to her desk to drop the paperwork with her. "Good morning Nagamine-san. How are you?"
She looked up at him with a frightened look in her eyes. "I'm good. How are you?" She looked behind him to see who else might be in the room.
Genma also looked behind him but the room was empty except for the three filing clerks and himself. When he looked back at her she looked relieved.
"I have some paperwork from the Hokage that needs filing." He held the stack of papers out for her. His breath caught when she reached out to take them. Her arm from her elbow up to where it disappeared into her sleeve was covered in fingertip sized bruises, as if someone had held it very tightly in many places for an extended time.
She noticed him looking at it and looked away. "I'll get these taken care of for you then." And returned to her paperwork.
Genma wondered where the friendly, lively young woman from yesterday had gone. He leaned across the desk, "Hey, you were so happy yesterday. What happened? Why so glum today?"
She looked nervous, "No reason, just a lot of work to do today." She jumped as the door slid open behind him.
Genma straightened, "I'm sorry. I liked your smile yesterday. It really brightened my day." And he turned to leave but was face to face with a man who struck him as familiar but he couldn't quite place. He walked around him and was almost through the door when he heard him say, "Umeko, isn't it break time? Come on."
"Ok Tamotsu. But I can't be gone for long, I have a lot of work to do."
Genma lingered in the hallway to see if she left with him. Sure enough the two of them walked out the door and headed outside. He momentarily told himself he shouldn't get involved but then dismissed it. It was apparently his fault that she was in trouble so in a manner of speaking it was actually his business. He followed them, at a distance.
As he observed the couple he wondered how Tsunade would feel that he was using his assassin's skill to eavesdrop on a couple of kids from the village. He shrugged, it didn't really matter. They walked out into the sunlight, stopped at a vending machine for some drinks and then wandered into an alley where he had the pleasure of watching the young man practically force a kiss on her. His fists balled up at his sides.
He maneuvered himself closer so he could hear what was being said.
"I saw you with that guy again."
"Tamotsu, he was just there dropping off paperwork for the Hokage. I am a filing clerk after all."
"Well just be sure I don't catch you smiling at him again. You're mine and I don't like my girl looking at other guys."
"Yes Tamotsu. I understand." She said this as if she was repeating something she had been forced to commit to memory. "I need to get back to work now."
"Fine. But remember, we're all going out tonight. Make sure you're cleaned up and looking nice for me. I don't want to be embarrassed by you again. Meet me at the bar at seven."
"You're not going to come get me?"
"Babe, I'd have to walk all the way across town to your place and then back to the bar. You know how tired I am at the end of the day. Don't worry. You'll be coming home with me anyway."
"Ok." The resignation in her voice was apparent.
Genma melted into the crowd as they walked out of the alley they had been in. He watched Tamotsu walk off towards the village and Umeko head back into the tower. It bothered him that she was being treated like that but he wasn't sure what he could do about it.
He followed her at a distance, wondering if he should even get involved. The thought was still plaguing him as he returned to the Hokage's office.
Lady Tsunade looked up as he entered. "Well it took you long enough. Did you take the filing clerk out for a date or something?"
Genma looked at her. Did he have a reputation or what? "Nah. I just saw something I didn't like and did a little reconnaissance on it, that's all."
"Oh really? What was it?"
Genma rolled the senbon pin in his mouth weighing his decision to tell her what he had witnessed yesterday and today. "Nothing important, if it gets out of hand I'll let you know."
He watched Tsunade narrow her eyes at him, he knew she trusted him but would she let it go?
"Ok. Whatever you think is best."
Genma was walking home with Raido, the rest of the day had passed quietly and he had spent a lot of it thinking about Tamotsu and his arrogance, the way he flaunted his authority and the way he treated Umeko. He talked to Raido about it.
"So I saw our Anbu upstart friend at his finest today."
"You did, huh?"
Genma related what he had seen outside the tower and the bruises he had observed on her arms. "He essentially ordered her to show up at the bar tonight. I thought maybe I'd do a little observing. Want to join me?"
"You know it."
Raido and Genma entered the bar together. Genma surveyed the bar locating Tamotsu easily as he was part of a large group of men and women gathered in a back corner of the bar. They were drinking and laughing loudly. He chose seats at the bar that allowed them to observe without getting any closer and ordered drinks for them. Then they sat back and watched the action. He realized in scanning the group that Umeko wasn't there, he checked the clock, five after seven. This should be interesting he thought and he wondered if Tamotsu would be so disrespectful in a large group.
Ten minutes later he saw her hurry past him to the group and approach Tamotsu who gave her a dark look and pulled her aside. "Hey that's her." He said to Raido. He wished for just a moment that he had thought to bring Kakashi and his lipreading sharingan with him tonight. She looked scared but she held her own clearly explaining why she was late.
Genma looked at her, if he hadn't known to watch for her he might easily have missed her. Her hair was down from it's workday barrette and it hung down to her waist in soft waves, the rich chestnut color caught the light in the bar and reflected it, giving the impression that it was almost red in the dimly lit bar. She was wearing a well fitting pair of jeans that flared slightly at the hem and a deep purple halter top that perfectly accented her body. She was curvy but not overly so. She looked taller than he had thought she was but then he realized she was wearing red sandals that had very high heels on them.
She looked up into Tamotsu's face, the look on her face wavered between fear and sincerity. Tamotsu looked at her, clearly annoyed with her, then he wrapped his arm around her pulling her to him. His hand slid down onto her bottom and he leaned in and kissed her, it was the same kind of kiss he had given her earlier. It didn't say I love you but rather I own you. It made Genma want to punch him into the next decade.
Raido had been observing the interchange as well. "Wow. What a way to treat your girlfriend, huh?"
Genma grunted, "Yeah."
He watched as Umeko went to sit down and Tamotsu pushed her over and sat instead, letting her either sit on his lap or lean up against the wall. She chose the wall.
For the most part Tamotsu ignored her spending most of his time laughing with the other guys in the group. Occasionally he would try to pull her down into his lap or reach out to let his hand rest on her in some way. At one point he turned to her and pointed at all the empty glasses on the table. She had sighed and gathered as many of them as she could carry. As she left, heading towards the bar he reached out and smacked her bottom so hard that she almost toppled over. He laughed at her as she stumbled and regained her balance.
At this Genma growled and went to get up but Raido pulled him back by the arm. "You'll only make it worse. If you are going to help her then you need to start with getting her away from him completely."
Genma knew he was right so he sat back down. He looked at Raido "I don't understand it. She's gorgeous. Why is she with that neanderthal?"
"Because he loves me."
Genma turned his head, she was standing next to him, having deposited the empty glasses on the table she was ordering refills for everyone.
"That's not love Umeko."
"Oh. So now we're on a first name basis then, Genma?" She had emphasized his name when she said it.
"We could be." He said, smiling and rolling the senbon pin in his mouth. "You deserve better than him, you know?"
"Do I?" She collected the refills she had ordered and returned to the group that included Tamotsu.
Genma looked at Raido in confusion.
Raido shrugged "Maybe she's not so nice when you get to know her?"