Was he actually angry? The clench of his jaw suggest it. The sharp line of his brows. The narrow of his eyes. And, of course, the vicious downward curl of his lips that cut his face in a decisive frown.[break][break]
"Thief!"[break][break]
Faint as the shout was, it strained his vocal chords, and his throat burned raw for the force with which the breath press from his lungs.[break][break]
Koma was in pursuit, sandals crashing against the shallow puddles drawn along the street pavers, a figure just ahead of him dashing onward at a full sprint. Stunned passersby were knocked aside without mercy, some bracing themselves to the walls of the buildings lining the streets while others ducked themselves off to one side - staring after as the miscreant shot like an arrow along his course.[break][break]
There was no apology from the shinobi hot on the stranger's trail. Despite the distinctly difference in the length of their legs, the short-statured ninja was keeping pace, gaze locked toward his target as he carved right along the opened way, intent on closing the gap between them. Sun hanging low, pale blue sky marred by the drifting thick of full grey clouds, the streets were in the full of morning traffic. It was too crowded to go pulling a shuriken at this point. For fear of hitting a cowering civilian, he would simply have to wait for an opportunity to present itself.[break][break]
And present it did, as the man turned abruptly to break off from the main street and trample a path through a narrow side street, threatening to lose the boy in the shadow cast by the towering building standing as a sentinel to the east.[break][break]
It was a risk the ninja couldn't afford to take, though with the criminal turned off from the main road he had much less a chance of catching his shuriken on an unwitting civilian. His hand reached for the pouch at his belt, readying the iron of the metal stars in his fingers, and with a leap - shot himself for the column of a nearby lamppost, kicking off from its frame to launch himself into the alley in a desperate bid for some speed.[break][break]
The turn of his eyes was swift as he slipped into the shadow behind him. He was hurrying to get a bearing on his new surroundings - but before his sandals could hit the ground, he spotted something. A hand lurching from the darkness to capture him - a hand not belonging to the sprinting figure now standing confidently ahead of him.[break][break]
Koma was quick enough to dart his shuriken for the offending stranger, the stars finding their home in the man's shoulder. Even so, in his airborne state he found there was little he could do to prevent the coil of the man's grip for his throat.[break][break]
With a noisy splash - the shinobi was down, foreign fingers anchored about his throat as the back of his skull smacked harsh against the muddy stone previously underfoot. Soaked in the chill of rainwater, Koma's eyes pinched themselves narrow to avoid any of the murk from blinding him, gaze locked toward the rage spelled across the features of the man now looming over him.[break][break]
The stranger's attack was only temporarily halted by the sting of the shuriken bitten into his arm, and in the end, the pain had only served to incense him further. With an irritable snarl the man lift his stubborn arm, heedless to the sear of the weapons embedded in its muscle. The gleam of the knife in his grasp was not lost on the shinobi, and as he drew the blade back in preparation to run its metal through the cage of the boy's ribs, another figure shift within the shadows, waiting impatiently for the chance to be on their way.[break][break]
The thief hadn't been working alone, and Koma had been drawn right into a trap. Three against one.
It was another morning, another day to get to work. The dreary atmosphere of the village proved to always leave her annoyingly sleepy at these times. Despite all her efforts, Aiko Hyuga would never be a morning person, she decided. Her groggy brain only began to stir as the caffeine from a morning coffee started to kick in. Then came the commotion in the crowd that forcibly jarred her awake.[break][break]
First came a man, rushing through and forcing groups to part, like a ship cutting through tidal waves. It took a quick shuffle of her feet to keep from being thrown off by the rude runner. It was fortunate she kept her bearings, too, as another person suddenly came dashing through with the weakest shout she’d ever heard. Thief! came the all too familiar tone of her young platoon member.[break][break]
Koma raced by, nearly knocking her aside in the process. Her head snapped around to follow him, just as the man and boy disappeared into the alley.[break][break]
As the crowd got back into its flow, ignoring the scene in favor of their own flow, Aiko would become the third ship to cut through the wave. Forgetting schedules and plans for the day, a much more important task had just come up . . .[break][break] [break][break]
As the knife was raised, it’s impact was abruptly interrupted. From the shadows, a short arrow cut through the air to pierce the man’s hand mid-swing. The blade was forcibly dropped by the impact, saving Koma from what very well could’ve been a fatal blow. The thieves’ heads all snapped up right, the man pinning Koma cursing audibly at the pain as another demanded the void to tell him what the fuck just happened.[break][break]
However, it wasn’t hard to spot her approaching in these cramped quarters. The alley offered some cover, but she had no interest in hiding herself just then. When they looked down the alley from whence they came, she was there - already loading up the next arrow to her crossbow. Her expression was colder than usual, the veins around her eyes bulging as her Byakugan showed itself fully. It was rare for Aiko to let emotion show, but it was impossible to miss her anger. [break][break]
“Let the boy go” she demanded, only to hear a gruff laugh in response. She hadn’t stopped walking towards them, even as one or two of them were running their mouths. What they were saying, or who was saying it? She didn’t know. She didn’t care much for banter; her attention was solely on creating an opening for the trapped Koma. Without another word of warning, the next bolt was fired off from her bow, embedding itself in the shoulder of the man who was still posed on top of the boy. He shouted in pain, reeling from the crippling hit.[break][break]
It was certainly enough to get him to start getting up, abandoning Koma for the moment as attention shifted towards the more aggressive Aiko. She stopped approaching then, adjusting her position to be ready to move quickly, whether they charged or not. One was lingering back, presumably to keep an eye on Koma, the other was running his mouth again, she wasn’t listening to that. The big one though, a top of Koma seemed to be the one getting ready for the charge.
It was more than enough time. Even before the aggressive distraction of the team's chunin, Koma's fingers were moving in a flurry of signs, digits point and curled in practiced gesture to weave a signature shinobi technique. Perhaps he could have run away. The fingers that had coiled about his throat had withdrawn with the bolt embedding itself in the attacker's hand, but as the threat of his knife clattered to the ground, curses spat against the humid air, it somehow seemed beyond the ninja to retaliate. Instead he crumpled, curling fearfully beneath the man as he lift his hands to hide the terror spelled across his features. The work of his jutsu seemed set against bearing fruit, leaving the boy to cower in his place.[break][break]
Mortified as the young shinobi seemed to be, he earned no pity from the man set to be riddled in bolts and shuriken. The iron spades that root themselves in his flesh quivered with his movement, pain quelled by the rush of adrenaline set to course through his veins. Despite it, there was some exhaustion setting in, and the man found himself drawing a heavy breath as he lift his hand to support the bloodying mess of his offended arm. With his eyes locked intently for the Hyuga's own, he stomped his foot forward in defiance, heel aimed to crush the skull of his captured prey.[break][break]
It may have come as no surprise to a fellow shinobi. The sole of his boot crashed through the empty air to strike with a loud splash against the puddle where the boy's head reside only a moment ago. Koma had flickered off to safety - the illusion left behind in his place erupting in a cough of smoke to reveal the battered roll a weathered mat he'd opt to leave in his place.[break][break]
Now it was the thieves' turn to worry. With the muscle now lacking his good arm and not one but two shinobi to contend with, the bandits found themselves with some hesitation in deciding how best to proceed. The unharmed pair spared each other a glance, and before the mouthy of the two could grant some sardonic commentary in regard to their situation, the thief to lead the initial chase tore off in an effort to escape to the open road on the other side.[break][break]
Koma wasn't having it, and before the man could gain the distance his steps plead for, the rattle of chains chimed off against the dark, reaching out from the shadows to circle their weighted length about the ankles of the escaping bandit. With a yelp, he was falling to the ground, hands thrown out before him as his chin met the floor.[break][break]
"They're just kids," came the exasperated complaint of the accomplice to be left in the dust. The sudden appearance of the chain had made the genin's position all too apparent, and with his sights now set toward where the boy had holed himself away - crouched in the dark behind the cover of a stack of crates - he launched himself forward, seeking to take opportunity of Koma's distraction.[break][break]
The muscle, apparently, had been granted the honor of his meatshield, the more cunning of the three halting his steps just behind the respectable tower of his figure. While his compatriots were still keen to the idea of fight or flight, the injured man found himself at a loss with the young woman keeping her distance. Holding his ground, his hand lift to nurse the injuries to his arm, muscles coiling to see if he could garner any use out of his stricken hand.
As the brute of the three threatened to stomp down on Koma’s head, Aiko didn’t seemingly react. Her eyes saved her the panic that could’ve come with such a sight. She knew full and well what had happened before any damage could be done. She’d have to praise the boy for his quick escape later, but now wasn’t the time to distract herself with that. [break][break]
As the muscle was temporarily disabled by his injuries, Aiko’s attention could safely split. First to the man who tried to run, only for Koma to reveal himself immediately after escaping. The runner was down for the moment, which left the chatterbox of the trio…[break][break]
There was still a muscle man between her and chatters, and right now, she was in no mood for games.[break][break]
Without warning, Aiko bolted forward, and used the water to carry her past the distracted muscle man and right into the path of ‘Chatters’. Then she lunged, the tips of her fingers glowed with the aspect of chakra before her hand found purchase in the man’s gut. He recoiled from the act, but she followed him back. She had to linger for a moment to make sure the impact made it’s purchase. Unfortunately, doing so did leave her open to his hand grabbing at her hair and ripping her head to the side. She held her ground though, gritting her teeth at the painful tug. It was all she needed to keep her place long enough to pull off her retort.[break][break]
Suddenly Chatters’s body convulsed with a sudden wave of nausea from whatever she had done. Her chakra applied uncomfortable pressure on his stomach, and caused him to reel back from her. He abandoned his charge, but not without being sent off with a kick to the gut from the angered Aiko. It was the last push he needed to suddenly lose his lunch, but she didn’t pay that mind. The muscle man was getting up, and her crossbow immediately locked on him without her so much as turning her head. She didn’t really need to, and boy did her neck hurt right now.[break][break]
“Koma, are you alright?” she called back over her shoulder, taking a moment to catch her breath. Despite the situation, her voice was merely tense, but altogether calm. “There should be a radio in my bag by the dumpsters near you. Just call for some help, so we can get these guys rounded up, if you would?”
The line of his brows knit, Koma's lips bent toward a subtle frown, a pensive gaze turned guarded toward the woman to have swept in to his rescue. It was all the answer the young lady was going to get, though whether it was due to poor manners or the scarlet hue flared about his throat for the previous assault may be difficult to discern. In either case, it was a reply, and one of affirmation at that.[break][break]
His chain sound off with a noisy rattle as he dragged his prey in toward him, a couple of steps taken forward to better close the distance as the man flail like a terrified fish against his capture. He was truly giving it his all in trying to kick off the restraint, and as he managed the success of one foot, the chain was drawn tight to circle with a painful grip to the lone ankle left in its grasp. The fearful yelp to escape the man's lips was almost childish, hands fumbling over his clothes as he reached to secure his knife into his fingers. Koma however had drawn his weapon long ago, kunai grasped in the curl of his fist in full ready to follow through with the careless threat cast as a veil over his stare. Try as he might, he couldn't fully disguise his animosity, ears flushed red with irritation as his blood thrummed a rapid beat against their drums.[break][break]
Sparing a glance to ensure the woman's safety, his foot came to slam down on the man's wrist in the moment he managed hold of his knife, effectively splaying his fingers and sending the weapon to clatter to the ground. For a moment he paused, staring on, and in a moment of forgetfulness, heedless of the chunin's presence, he pressed. Harder. The line of his lips pressed grim as the pressure behind his heel built further and further, and as the man squeal out in agony, fearful of the very real chance of finding himself with a broken wrist, a voice called out - snapping Koma from the merciless act that may have otherwise been carried out to the full.[break][break]
Swallowing thickly, the shinobi turned his eyes toward the woman, searching her over a moment before dropping down to bind his captured criminal in the chain still caught about his leg. Looping its weight through a link in its chain, he hooked his fingers in through the bindings, hoisting the man scornfully to his feet as he sound out with a hiss. Perhaps the chain was a bit tighter than necessary.[break][break]
Koma lift his kunai to settle its grip between his teeth, fingers moving discreet to steal back his pouch and fasten it back to his belt as he drug the man along to the radio in question.[break][break]
With "Chatters" out of commission and emptying his stomach alongside the surface of the wall he'd been kicked into, the muscle was having second thoughts. Thankfully for him. When the chunin had drawn in to attack the mouthy of the trio he'd turned swiftly to try and catch her skull with the hammer of his left fist - but given her speed and the quick draw of her crossbow - he found himself to slow to actually bring his fist down to fully carry out the attack. So he stood there, sweat trailing down his brow and blood dripping from the stars and bolts adorning the meat of his right arm. Cautious, he uncurled his fist, offering his surrender as the boy retrieved the radio in question.[break][break]
The trio seemed well enough subdued for the moment, with the larger looking rather bitter over surrendering to a comparatively little girl.
It was something of a stalemate between her and the muscle man. If she fired first, he could get the swing in before she could do much more. If he continued the swing, she’d get her shot in first. It was a far more fortunate situation for herself, thankfully, as all she needed was the one arm trained on this man to keep him in place. It allowed her attention to flick over to the barfing man slumped over weakly from the abuse his gut just endured. [break][break]
He’d probably be the first to make a move as they waited for backup to come drag off these men. [break][break]
As she considered it, Aiko’s tense expression didn’t ease for a moment, nor did her head turn as Koma approached. She simply held her hand out for the radio once it was offered. If he didn’t make the request, she would handle the matter herself. It took just a quick exchange to get a few people headed their way, a conversation she handled promptly. Now it was just a matter of waiting for them to arrive. [break][break]
“Keep an eye on that one-” she vaguely gestured towards the man recovering from puking “-while we wait.” [break][break]
It only took a few minutes for said back up to arrive though, and with it, came relief. As other shinobi handled gathering the bandits, Aiko could finally relax herself. First, she unloaded her bolt from the crossbow, and got a hold of her bag. Then her attention turned to Koma as he’d finished getting his chain back. She wandered over to him and offered a simple polite smile. [break][break]
“You did a good job there, getting out of the way and tripping the other one up. Did you get hurt anywhere, though?” she asked, while half of her hair was clearly a mess from where it had been nearly ripped out of her skull. “I’m sorry I didn’t get here faster.”
There was no argument from Koma. With the radio in the chunin's care, his eyes were immediately for the unsteady wreck of a man, apathetic to the way his crumped form bowed over a puddle of bile. The shinobi stepped himself toward the man, standing there as an unblinking sentry as he regard him with faintly narrowed eyes. The boy had no quarrel with standing watch, and until reinforcements arrived, he fixed the dull of his stare intently toward the stranger - gaze narrowed in an unspoken dare.[break][break]
It seemed it was over near as quickly as it had began. The thieves were being gathered up and taken away, leaving Koma with -[break][break]
His thoughts were interrupted, the rattle of his chain stilled to silence a moment as the woman's praise caught his ear. The thought didn't strike him to continue with his task. Not straight away.[break][break]
The dark amber hue of the child's gaze turned even for Aiko's own, the bland line of his lips failing to give way to any form of expression. No light showed from his stare, though the fix of their watch assured his attention. She'd been heard, and the words were of enough merit to earn his focus.[break][break]
"No need to apologize, Miss Hyuga."[break][break]
His voice echoed vaguely hoarse from the trauma to his throat, the color still bright about his skin in promise of the bruise to come.[break][break]
A steady blink of his lashes and his gaze dropped right back to his chain, looping its length over itself to draw it neatly into an even coil. He offered nothing on the topic of her mussed hair, mind caught on other matters as he drew the ring of chain to settle its weight about his shoulder.[break][break]
The boy's eyes closed, a faint thread of tension pulling at the line of his brows for his practiced restraint.[break][break]
"Nothing severe."[break][break]
It seemed he was going to shrug off her praise altogether, the pale of his lashes fluttering open to fix her with a decided glance. He'd regard her properly when speaking.[break][break]
"I'll write up a report when I get home. Thanks for your help."[break][break]
His body bowed itself forward in humble gratitude, voice quiet against the murmur of the busy street nearby.
Koma Uzumaki’s eyes were a pool of still red water. Never rippling, never changing, stagnant and void. It was a gaze that unsettled her, something she caught in her own reflection on late nights. The disconnect, the shut down of life and will. Even as her gaze met his, it was almost startling how drained one little boy could look. It was an expression that left her uncomfortable as he regarded her so. [break][break]
Yes, it tugged at her heart as his hoarse voice cut through any sound from the city. Though quiet, it’s roughness was upsetting. She simply kept his gaze, keeping her steady expression, before her eyes trailed down to the bruising on his neck. He assured her it wasn’t anything severe, but it suddenly wasn’t a matter of severity to her. Though Aiko wasn’t unfamiliar with blood on her hands, she still had a heart...[break][break]
Shouldering her bag and stepping closer, Aiko took it upon herself to crouch down to Koma’s level, leaning over with her hands on her knees. Putting herself at his height with a comforting expression, she offered him a rare small smile.[break][break]
“The report would be appreciated, yes, but before that… Self care is important, and you sound like you need something for your throat” she softly remarked. “I know there’s a place that sells ice cream nearby. How about I treat you to some as a reward for your good work today?”
His eyes followed as Aiko found some reason to step forward. He could find only one reason for her lingering gaze, or the glance she'd settled brief toward his discolored skin. He prior choice in words, her apology and commendation, it all point toward a singular motivation - though Koma would show have little to offer in turn for this concern.[break][break]
The boy - the shinobi - didn't move. He wait patiently in his place, allowing the woman to draw near to him and lean down to better meet his eyes.[break][break]
And right away, he was going red. The scarlet hue climbed from his neck to burn its way up his features, his ears in particular an embarrassing shade more akin to a tomato than a young man. His expression held perfectly calm for his discipline. But he must have known. The heat in his face couldn't have been so subtle that it'd escape his notice.[break][break]
That a panicked light glint brief to life within his gaze was only further confirmation of his anxiety. Though he couldn't be so unmannered as to turn his eyes away, it was hard to watch. The comfort spelled across her face was too much.[break][break]
"Miss Hyuga -"[break][break]
The words didn't sound as even as he'd hoped. His voice wavered for the bundle of nerves he was quickly seeing himself reduced to, and as he caught that quiver, he found himself adamant just fast that he'd collect himself.[break][break]
"I'll join you."[break][break]
Koma bowed his head in concession, brows pinching over his eyes as he sought out his apprehension so he might strangle it from existence. The time he'd grant to collect himself proved to be something less than enough as he opened his eyes - conflict clear between the knit of his brows and the shadow of debate locked behind his stare. He had mind enough not to frown at least - but with his eyes open again...[break][break]
He couldn't break his staring - gaze pierced straight through the woman watching toward him. The embarrassment coloring his face wasn't going anywhere.
Koma’s expressions were usually void stares, blank, calm, almost doll-like. So it was kind of surprising to see him spark to life like this. His pale skin becoming a vibrant red, his eyes sparking with worry, anxiety? Had she panicked him somehow? It was her understanding that kneeling down to a child’s height was a comforting notion. It was something she often saw parents and caretakers do, so as not to loom over the child. Perhaps he was a bit too old for that kind of gesture, though? [break][break]
As his voice wavered, her expression remained still, not seemingly acknowledging the tremble to his tone. She was afraid if she did, he may implode or something. It was hard to tell if she had scared him somehow, or if it was something else at play. He was definitely unsure about accepting the offer, though she wasn’t sure why he would be. At least he agreed to come with her, a notion that greatly relieved the budding worry in her chest. Her smile only grew, and she nodded, rising back up to her full height appropriately. [break][break]
“Then, let’s get going” she quipped, setting a gentle hand on his back to get him to start walking with her. “If you don’t want to go, that’s perfectly fine as well. You can always say no, alright?” Her hand left his back, hands tucking into the pockets of her jacket as they began walking. “After all, it’s not really much of a reward if it’s not something you want to do, right? I’m not in a rush to really get anywhere, so we could do something else, of course.” [break][break]
After all, she had destroyed her schedule the moment she took off down the alley. Surely, her parents would understand. Shinobi work wasn’t very accommodating for one’s schedule.
There wasn't a single alarm that wasn't going off in the boy's head. The anxiety to scorch its way red hot into his features elicit no response from the woman, and as his shoulders set tight, breath caught briefly in his lungs - he could only see red. The touch to his back saw his eyes closed again as he scrambled for focus, the hurried turn of mental gears the stark opposite of his decidedly still figure. The crease of his brow was all he was as much as he was willing to give in regard to what his thoughts - or rather, his feelings - might be.[break][break]
His ears felt hot, and with his heart steadily brought to hammer against his chest, the boy shook his head gently, the ruffle of his bangs shifting over the guarded pinch of his eyes. On her instruction his feet had already moved to follow along with her steps, but the rest of him was occupied, tied up in what mess his thoughts had tangled themselves in.[break][break]
"I can understand. You're worried."[break][break]
It was honestly impressive the way he managed his tone. The words sounded fully natural, though they still held some grit for the ache about his neck. The words flowed smooth from his lips, and despite his apparent turmoil, he spoke with soothing calm.[break][break]
"Your every action points to it."[break][break]
Was she really speaking to a child? These were not the words of some wide-eyed youth, and as he forced open the narrow of his eyes, his gaze failed to show anything of the wonder or brattish indignation that might normally spark in a young one's eyes. His gaze spoke of focus, the quiet determination not to be swept away by what bubble under his skin granting some steel to their watch as they linger toward the chunin guiding him.[break][break]
"But you don't have to be."[break][break]
Koma's brows loosed a fraction as some measure of tension smoothed from his unintended glare. The corners of his lips hint toward only the scarcest notion of a frown, and his shoulders sagged with relief. He hadn't given her much time to respond, and that was on purpose. It seemed necessary to him that the thoughts be aired.[break][break]
"I'm going with you because I'd like to."[break][break]
When he spoke like an adult, it fed into her worry for what the young Koma may be going through. There should be something childish about his tone, something with a spark of energy or hint of freedom, but it was missing. It was a bit unnatural, but also made her want to stay there even more. If she could get maybe a smile or something less tense than his formalities from him today, she’d consider it a small victory.[break][break]
While his unnatural tone was concerning, she was at least proud of how aware he was. Her smile easing as he pointed out that she was clearly worried. Though he spoke in such a mature manner, the small pout preceded his assurance of wanting to come hinted at a younger personality. She chuckled softly with relief at that.[break][break]
“Good, good. I’m not a fan of people only doing things because they feel obligated to” she chirped back. “I’ll be sure to treat you to an extra scoop, in that case.” Then without warning, she lightly poked his reddening cheek. “Let me know if you’re not feeling well, though. A lot just happened, after all. I’m sure we can get the ice cream to go, and I’ll walk you home, alright?”
There was some assurance in hearing a chuckle from the woman's lips. It grant him enough comfort to turn his eyes, gaze set for the road ahead as he kept in step with the chunin alongside him. Koma nod his head in acknowledgement toward the approval granted him, managing some progress in soothing the brilliant pink to have flared beneath his skin. Composed as he presented himself, it was clear from his shifting complexion that he was only finally beginning to settle down, the mention of an additional scoop pulling his gaze sideward a moment to search the woman's expression for some hint of credit to her claimed reasoning.[break][break]
It was that glance that allow him to spot the incoming assault of her finger, its tip poised to meet the rosy hue of his cheek. He sensed no malicious intent, and for his bold assumption that the woman might not aim to hurt him, he held still. Until she made contact with his cheek.[break][break]
The reaction wasn't willed. It was automatic. His brows cinched themselves tight as his eyes pinched firmly closed, steps halt a moment as he set his jaw - head flinching back to avoid further attack. A hand shuddered as he disallowed it from lifting to rest its fingers to the spot, the tension rendering his digits rigid and stiff.[break][break]
"I'm afraid that might not be for the best."[break][break]
Koma was still keeping a professional air, even with the poke to his cheek - his flinching - and the current fearful cinch of his eyes. It took self control to blink them open again, but there was no helping the anxious bundle of his brows, the line of his lips edging toward a frown. With so much focus put to controlling the rest of his reaction, he'd failed to disguise a fraction of the hurt that swam behind his eyes, a nervous question reflect in his stare. He wasn't asking. And he was pretending the poke had never happened at all.[break][break]
The boy right his posture, ready to continue along.[break][break]
"Master Uzumaki wanted me to finish an errand for him. I'll have to take care of that before I return home."[break][break]
His hand lift absent to smooth his fingers along his cheek. He didn't even notice the gesture.[break][break]
The boy's eyes pinched briefly as he stifled the cough his throat begged of him.
It was to be a simple little teasing poke. A gentle friendly notion he clearly saw coming before it landed. However, it seemed to hit a button that brought forth a frightening - familiar- reaction. A recoil, a brace for pain and punishment. Though at a glance, it may have seemed he was simply spooked by the silly gesture, her gaze was locked on him. Long enough to see the panic in his eyes, the instinctual recoil of a victim. [break][break]
Her hand snapped back immediately, both of her hands intertwining behind her back in either’s painful grasp. [break][break]
As he answered her, Aiko was the one to fall quiet then. Her gaze left him to look ahead, thinking over the discomfort of the interaction just then. Her offer was rejected, and the mention of a master made her anxiety grow. A million questions danced in her mind, all of them felt out of place to pry, wrong to assume, but important in every single way. She wanted to say a lot of things, but it felt too fast for a situation like this. [break][break]
Swallowing back a bundle of nerves, she nodded at his words. [break][break]
“Okay, well, we can still at the least enjoy an ice cream together” she decided, offering a reassuring smile once more. “I’m sorry about that poke just now. It’s something I do to my sister to tease her, but you didn’t seem to like it. I promise if I touch you, there’s no intent to hurt you or something like that... I’ll keep my hands to myself going forward though” she assured, then tried to push past the awkward subject to something a little lighter. [break][break]
Though she wanted to say something like I promise I’ll never hurt you, it felt like such words were too sudden to say right then. It felt like a promise she couldn’t keep, anyways. [break][break]
“What kind of flavors do you like, Koma? Vanilla, chocolate… I think this place also has plenty of fruitier flavors as well. Maybe we could mix something together.”
The thought resonate in the furthered knit of his brows, the corners of his mouth falling further to a frown as he refuse the woman a glance for such a reaction. The hasty retreat of her hand, her silence, and the tension he note in her forearms for what was surely the pinch of her fingers behind her back was more than he was ready to soak in, though apparently not enough to dissuade him from his chosen course. What string of apology she spun for him fell on deaf ears, the tension in his brows prolonged as she wade through the situation.[break][break]
"Thank you."[break][break]
The words echoed void of gratitude, plain and empty as the stare revealed by the parting of his lashes. He wasn't hiding his frustration, mild as it was. The pinch of his brows was proving stubborn, and the focus of his eyes showed hard with irritation as he held his gaze forward. He had no intention of inadvertently cutting the woman with the daggers he was certain to be glaring.[break][break]
"It's expensive."[break][break]
A warning.[break][break]
"But I like caramels. So probably something like that."[break][break]
The change in topic was doing something to settle him. It would be worth counting the little victories with him, seeing as the process of him shifting from one mood to another was proving to be painfully slow. With aggravation settled in, he was caught in its mire, and the sour weigh of his lips hint that he might not be pulling himself free any time soon.[break][break]
"Do you treat the other genin this way?"[break][break]
His tone resonate decidedly even, posture straight, head high, and eyes forward. There was no beating around the bush to soften the implication of the inquiry, only the straightforward manner he seemed to offer the majority of his thoughts with. That he kept his voice gentle would be her only consolation.
