The hospital offices glimmered. Footsteps echoed through the darkness of the room.
Kōju sat upright, her green eyes flickering toward the white doorway. Hm. The wind blew through the window, the curtains swelling upward. She glanced toward Naruto's bed. Looks like he's asleep. I guess I shouldn't interrupt it. She hurried down the stairs of the hospital. Better see how other people are doing?
On the grass outside the hospital, Soyokaze stared at Sai. Their palms extended, flames burning around their palms.
Sai's hand reached downward briefly, touching the brush at her side. She moved forward with a single pace.
"Eh? No! No, you two shouldn't fight!" Kōju exclaimed, her eyes wide. She ran forward, wrapping her arms around Sai's arms and pulling her backward onto the grass again.
Sai's eyes remained on Soyokaze. Her expression didn't change as she studied the blue eyes beneath the robe.
"Leave it be. They haven't so much as attacked each other yet." Tayuya shrugged. "Lot of bark. No biting yet." She paused. "Well, I guess no barking either. Just a hell of a lot of intimidating. You know the shit. The usual thing that gets done to show which one's dominant or whatever." She ushered Kōju over to a flat table in the sand. "Since you got the time, ero-kunoichi, you mind playing shogi with me?"
Kōju frowned. "Why?" she questioned. She hesitantly squeezed into the table, her hands tapping the side of the table.
"Shikamaru's gone on a break. And by a break, I mean he's locked himself up in his room and won't answer anybody but his father. Still got the cigarettes, though." Tayuya stared at the pack of cigarettes on the table. "They taste and smell like shit."
Kōju nodded. "Well, that is why they're for adults," she remarked in an off-handed manner. "And if you're used to playing with Shikamaru, I wouldn't be a very interesting opponent." She leaned against the log, her expression distant."
"True. But, it's better than nothing." Tayuya grinned. "Wanna play?" She pulled out the board and began to set up the pieces.
Soyokaze and Sai continued to stare at each other, neither moving or shifting an inch from their position. The intense staring match continued in dark silence.
"I suppose I've no reason not to." Kōju sat down at the table. "Why are you calling me ero-kunoichi, anyway?" she questioned in a quiet voice.
Tayuya spared a glance from the pieces, her eyes narrowing. "You know why. You know exactly why. I ain't going into more fucking depth than that; number one, because I'm not an expert at penetration, and number two, because you fucking know exactly what shit I'm talking about." She rested the board lightly against the table.
Kōju raised an eyebrow. "I don't recall anything of the kind." She smiled, her eyes gentle like a soft candle light.
Tayuya spared Kōju a look. She adjusted her grip on the tiles. "Fine," she stated in a deceptively calm voice. "We'll both pretend nothing happened, then. But you know—you fucking know—why." She set the pieces across the board. "Now." She studied the board briefly. "I think I'll start out with an advance on your left flank." She shoved a piece forward rapidly, her eyes wide as she wiped at her eyelashes. "Fuck, there's too much pollen in the air.
"Wait—" Kōju frowned. "Is Sasuke still out there, practicing?" She moved forward the piece. "I hope she's doing all right right now."
Tayuya's gaze briefly glanced away from Kōju. "Maybe." She stared at her pieces, her expression distant and hidden.
Kōju frowned. "I think I've gotten to know you pretty well." She paused. "At least a little bit, you'd know. Am I wrong?"
Tayuya inclined her head briefly. She shoved the shogi piece forward on the table, pushing into the undefended territory to one side.
"I've cleaned up after you when you got drunk and puked in the library. I helped you understand the techniques that Sarutobi left behind. I even helped you out when you got that root infection." Kōju paused. "Overall, I think I know who and what you are pretty well. Do you understand that?"
"Oh, you're talking about it now?" Tayuya shot back, her voice suddenly angry. "I thought you didn't know about that whole history thing!" She leaned forward. "So instead you'll tell me that I misunderstood or something? That shit was not natural!"
"I just—look, if you know something about Sasuke that you're not telling me, I'd appreciate knowing it."
"Okay. She's a girl." Tayuya shrugged her shoulders. "There, you happy? You're pleasured with knowing that fucking little detail?"
Kōju laughed. She leaned forward. "Oh, that's it?" She adjusted her grip. "I knew that much already."
"Wait—hold up, you knew?! Why the fuck didn't you ever tell me?" Tayuya demanded. She leaned forward at the table, her eyes narrowed. "Why?"
Kōju stared intently at the board, not looking at Tayuya's face. She moved a white piece on the board.
"If you don't answer, I'm gonna assume you and her have been banging since you were still genin." Tayuya's eyes narrowed.
"It was a personal thing for her. I don't really get why, but she was pretty insistent that she be thought of as a he." Kōju shrugged her shoulders. She studied the board.
Tayuya nodded after a moment. Well, I mostly got the story from Itachi already, but I wanted to hear her opinion of it. Plus, it gives me a pretty good excuse. She pushed forward another shogi piece.
"Seriously, though. Why are you so worried about her?" Kōju went on. "There are more reasons than that, and more reasons than you're telling me. Am I wrong?" she went on.
Tayuya sighed, nearly imperceptibly. I really hoped she wouldn't catch on already. "I, um. You know I didn't—" She rubbed her temples. "Look, she's been pretty heavy on the vengeance trail, ever since she figured out that Itachi was at that meeting, okay? I'm not doing this for her sake. It just seems to me that you she's pretty rough, conditionally speaking."
"Hm." Kōju frowned. "I guess it's true that you haven't been around long enough for that situation to be clear to you. She's been going after her brother for longer than she's been a kunoichi."
Tayuya shrugged her shoulders. Her brown eyes narrowed. "Seems to me that she's a bit more intense about it right now."
Kōju nodded. "Yes, that much is certainly true." She cast a glance toward Soyokaze and Sai.
The pair remained locked in a staring contest, seemingly having not moved even once from their original position.
"But I do not think it's something we need to worry about, either. The way she is—the way she acts—I can't blame her for her feelings on this one." Kōju smiled. She moved forward another piece.
Tayuya remained still. I got no evidence that would convince her, anyway. "All right." She pushed forward another piece at the board.
Kōju nodded. "I have a question for you. I mean, I've been doing healing work, and Sasuke's practice, and Naruto's still healing up—and those two are doing that." She nodded to the staring contest between the two. "Regarding—"
"You want to know what I've been doing in the off-season, right?" Tayuya asked bluntly. She studied the pieces.
"Yes." Kōju stared at the board, her expression perplexed. "Hm." She picked up one of the pieces and started to move it forward, her fingers tightening on the piece. Her brow furrowed. "No, then—" She moved back the piece. "Then maybe…" She groaned, staring at the board. "Dang, beating you is really tough!"
"Promise you won't laugh." Tayuya spoke in a quiet, deadly voice.
"Why would I laugh?"
"Promise." Tayuya's voice grew serious. "Else I'm going to keep it a secret." She leaned back on the table, her brown eye narrowing as she adjusted her eye patch.
"All right. Promise." Kōju extended a hand. "Do you want to pinky swear on it, or something?"
"Are you twelve?" Tayuya demanded flatly, her eyes narrowed.
"Fourteen, actually." Kōju grinned.
"Well." Tayuya rubbed her chin. Her cheeks flushed. "Ah, hell, better just come out with it. I've been helping out some of the really young kids in the shinobi academy." She fell silent as though waiting for something.
Kōju remained silent.
"Well? Go ahead and laugh. I know you want to." Tayuya leaned forward, aggressively studying Kōju's face.
"Why would I? I think that's a very noble thing to do," Kōju replied matter-of-factly. "Really, you—it's a good thing for you that you're doing that."
Tayuya's brow furrowed. She leaned forward, her eyes studying the movement of the pieces.
"As to me, you already know the details. And I won't belabor you with them." Kōju smiled.
"Heh." Tayuya exhaled. "To be totally honest, I'll say it straight out. A lot of my concerns lie with Shikamaru. It isn't like him to screw around like this." Her fingers sweated steadily, drops collating on the pieces.
"He's in the midst of mourning. You know him better than I do, so I won't worry about telling you not to be worried." Kōju moved a piece forward.
Tayuya rolled her eyes upward. "Idiotic." She adjusted her grip on the wooden playing piece.
"Idiotic?!" Kōju frowned. "I mean, idiotic? I'm doing pretty well for myself, you know. I think it takes a lot of smarts to become a medic! And really, it's not that bad of a situation for me yet!"
"What is that supposed to mean?! Worrying about worrying!" Tayuya groaned loudly. "You seriously need to get your fucking facts straight."
Kōju grinned. "Idiotic!" She rolled her eyes. "Don't you see, though? Everyone is worrying about someone else. I don't quite understand how to put this situation."
Tayuya shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah, whatever. Make your move already." She stared at the board.
Kōju groaned. "I was hoping you'd forget about that. Well, um—let's see—" She stared at the pieces.
Soyokaze and Sai continued staring at each other, motionless on the grass. A strong darkness surrounded the movement.
"Oh, darn. I'm in a bind this early?" Kōju rubbed her temples. She picked up a piece, her eyes narrowing.
No, honestly, you're doing pretty well. Tayuya's brow furrowed. You're pretty remarkable in this.
Kōju finally shoved a piece forward. Her eyes grew serious. I know you're lying, Tayuya. What's worrying you? It bothers me that you won't tell me.
Tayuya glanced upward. "That being said, I need to practice more. If you want to do that and don't fuck around with me, I'm good."
The pieces rested motionless on the table.
"Sorry. I guess I can't do that." Kōju exhaled.
"What the fuck? Why?"
"I've got a date."
Tayuya's brow furrowed. "Seriously? With who? Why?" Her brow dripped with sweat.
"Naruto-kun. And I finally got the right timing, too, so it's—"
"Okay, yeah, I get it. Fuck!" Tayuya slammed her fist against the table.
The pieces suddenly slid off the end of the board, falling into a rough alignment.
"Ah, shit."
"Can we pretend I won that, since you knocked off all the pieces?"
Tayuya frowned. She thought for a long moment. "Yeah, sure. I'll get this back together." She rubbed her temples. Fuck, everything's backwards. I thought I still had time. Shit. What was I thinking? She stared at her hands. Just saying to myself, 'hey, it's cool if you don't want to say anything to him yet'? Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I always. She gathered up the pieces. "Kōju, uh, would you mind looking over there? I think one got kicked that way."
Kōju nodded. "All right." She started forward.
Tayuya stared at the pieces. Tears clouded her vision. The fuck was I thinking? It's always like this. She picked up one of the pieces, concealing her tears as best she could. Whenever I wait everything I care for just falls away from me. I should have acted. I should have done something. She wiped at her eyes, frantically focusing on not making any noise. I should have—been someone else.
The pieces rested motionless on the ground.
Sai stared steadily at Tayuya. This is the kind of situation I'm talking about. She stared quietly. Friendship. Meaning, intention. Notability. Suggestion. Anything. But he—this—it's a chain. She's been caught by a chain, held there. Why? Why did she do that? Her eyes narrowed. The only answer to me can be that she thought there would be safety in this kind of idiocy. To throw away her own motives and act in a negative way, tying her fate to another person's.
Tayuya glanced upward. She gathered the last of the pieces, her expression suddenly stern as she stared at Sai. "Hey."
Sai's expression remained motionless.
"You want to keep staring at me, you better be damn sure I'm okay with it." Tayuya turned her gaze to the last of the pieces.
Sai glanced downward. A brief smile that didn't reach her eyes touched her lips. "Thank you. I didn't know anything about the way ordinary people think, so it's nice to know how a common spirit responds to these matters."
Tayuya's eyes narrowed. "You truly have an unpleasant personality, don't you?" She set down the pieces. "Well, it seems that compared to you, it isn't such a sad thing. In your light I'm still a better example."
This and that. Emotional comparison, a way to say 'I'm better' by looking at someone else. Sai's hand rested motionless at her side. That's a common thought, an emotional thought. I'm pleased that I exist in a different world than her; a proper existence like mine is the correct one.
The pieces rested motionless on the table, a shadow lying across the ground and crossing the earth at a strange angle.
Tayuya cleared her throat. "I guess no more games, huh?"
Kōju nodded.
The sun rested high in the sky, closer to noon. The group slowly dispersed to several corners of Leaf.
A/N: In a previous chapter, I referred to Genma as 'Raizuki Genma'. This is, in fact, not his last name, and was a technical error. I mistakenly assumed that Genma's last name hadn't been revealed in-series. By this point I should have made the edit, and future chapters will refer to Genma as Shiranui Genma. Thanks for reading, and apologies for the error.