Day 27: Lunch

[norainu]

Renji wasn't so certain what this grilled cheese thing was all about, but he liked the sound of some soup. Even if it was strange western soup, well... there wasn't anything bad people could do to soup, in his experience. His good mood was starting to fray at the edges, a little, from the strain of dealing with the Ichimaru issue, and even more from what had been on the bulletin board earlier.

He'd never had difficulty simply writing something before. But...

He shook his head as he entered the line. He didn't want to think about it. He wanted to hold on to the tenuous equilibrium he'd managed to find.

Renji got himself a large bowl of soup, water, and even one of those sandwiches, just to try it. Old habit, recently awakened, had him over to one side of the cafeteria, where the fewest people possible would have the chance to pass behind him. He sat there with his back toward the wall and started eating.

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[raptscarecrow.livejournal.com]

Kakashi listened as he quickly ate, matching Sasuke's information and descriptions with what he had already heard and committing to memory what he hadn't. Again with the brainwashed patients; it was an interesting lead and one worth investigating further when he had the chance.

"I'll keep all that in mind." Then, with his usual laid back courtesy, "Thanks."

Ah, and so Sasuke had met Naruto and Sakura. Kakashi knew nothing more than that, but the two boys were both alive, at least, and along with the tone that Sasuke had kept, that said enough.

"And in other words, you've already met with Sai and Lee." He would let Sasuke take that as he would; it would tell him what Kakashi knew.

...And I'm the only shinobi you haven't allied yourself with. He had noticed Sasuke's strangely willing honesty with what he knew, but it wasn't surprising. It simply meant he was willing or wanted to have a similar alliance with Kakashi, who knew better than to think that what Sasuke had shared was entirely out of the goodness of the boy's heart.

[sasuke-of-sound.livejournal.com]

Sasuke nodded briefly at the thanks, shrugging it off easily. Kakashi's response to his words made his eyes narrow very slightly -- he couldn't tell if Kakashi was deliberately trying to pull the admittance that Sasuke had allied with his former team, or if the man genuinely didn't know.

... it didn't matter. He'd find out soon enough even if he didn't, and so Sasuke nodded again in confirmation.

"I should clarify," he said after a pause. "Not all the shinobi here are from our world. I've met a girl who claims to be a shinobi from a village called Wutai. River says she's a ninja, but her brother ... isn't so sure. For whatever reason. I assume their techniques are different, but they should be competent enough."

His lip quirked very, very slightly at the thought of the Tams -- even if Simon was a mostly-useless ass, Sasuke found him entertaining to an extent. And River was her own story.

He moved on so quickly it was hard to tell the amusement had been there.

"Obviously, I want to include you in an alliance. You're competent. I might be impeded at the moment, but I'll work around it soon." The offer was made brusquely, all business and no familiarity.

[raptscarecrow.livejournal.com]

It was almost -- almost -- amusing to think that they had reached a point where Sasuke thought he had to ask for Kakashi's help, or loyalty, or however one wanted to look at it; at least, it nearly made Kakashi smile inwardly, but it wasn't in humor. The whole mess that was Sasuke's defect to Sound wasn't the type of thing that Kakashi took personally -- not in terms of loyalty and whatnot, anyway, although guilt was indeed a personal matter -- and so he had never, like the rest of his team, ceased to see Sasuke as someone worth fighting to protect. Someone with a history of bad choices and an unpredictable train of thought, but worth it nonetheless.

It was the kind of thought that led to fatal mistakes and betrayal more often than not, but if Kakashi hadn't proven at his age that he was willing to take such a chance, he understood himself less than anyone.

He didn't say any of this, though. Neither his expression nor his voice gave off anything but a mirror of Sasuke's businesslike tone as he replied easily, "You have it." His tray cleared -- the sandwich had tasted better than he predicted, so he had ended up eating pretty much everything despite the foreign taste and obviously high amount of oil used -- Kakashi pushed it back and again lifted his gaze to Sasuke. "But in exchange, I'd like to see sometime just how you've worked around your impediment."

He had used the same tone as when he'd asked whether Sasuke had fought in his current state: unassuming and matter-of-fact. He chose not to specify just what he would do if he did see, knowing Sasuke would assume what he would, and would probably guess right.

[sasuke-of-sound.livejournal.com]

Sasuke almost allowed himself to be relieved when Kakashi agreed, and then swore at himself for having thought that it would come easy. He'd had information to trade for the other alliances and that had been enough -- but he hadn't owed them anything.

And Naruto and Sakura hadn't claimed anything.

"If you're free this upcoming nightshift," Sasuke suggested neutrally. If what Kakashi saw 'passed,' then Sasuke might ask to train with him at some point -- and if not ...

He preferred not to think about it. Even after Sound, he was too used to being in favour with Kakashi -- the one time he hadn't been still stood out in his memory. He hunched a little defensively and glowered in Kakashi's direction until he realised it, then wiped the expression away and hid the curl of his back into a deliberately relaxed slouch.

[raptscarecrow.livejournal.com]

Kakashi would have, of course, agreed to an alliance regardless of Sasuke's answer, but it didn't hurt to have a hand up in the affair and a way of keeping his eye on him, however briefly it may be -- and, naturally, as long as it was within Kakashi's power there was no way he was about to let Sasuke go about without his vision, whatever he said of these monsters and whatever his previous skill level, without some prior knowledge of the boy's adjusted abilities.

"It's settled, then." He glanced towards where he had last seen Sai and then back at Sasuke. "I'm meaning to meet back up with Sai before lunch is over." Pause. "There's room for another if you're willing," he offered casually.

[sasuke-of-sound.livejournal.com]

"I am in room M58," Sasuke said briefly, and focused on the sound of movement -- very slight, but there. Damned if he could tell just what it was, though. It wasn't dramatic enough for arm movement, so perhaps a movement of the head?

Whether he was willing to admit it or not, Sasuke had a lot to adjsut to in light of the current situation, and even if he learned fast, it would be useful to have a teacher of some sort. Even just a sparring partner had helped (though he wasn't going to tell Naruto that).

At the mention of Sai and moving, Sasuke went very still, eyes directed studiously down at what was probably table.

"I am interested in hearing what Sai has to say," he said, very carefully expressionless. Actually, he was mostly interested in what Sai and Kakashi had to say to each other, and whether the two of them collectively remembered more than what Sasuke did.

Unfortunately, he had no idea where Sai was in the room, and his very tenseness betrayed some of the fury he had at the fact that he might need to be led somewhere. His nurse was actually acceptable to lead him; she'd pushed him places even when he'd been sighted. Kakashi, on the other hand -- Kakashi was different.

Could he maybe get out of it with Sharingan? But he couldn't waste it, he knew that, and swore a great deal in his head.

[raptscarecrow.livejournal.com]

Watching Sasuke specifically for a response to the proposal, Kakashi caught the tension. He's already letting his pride mingle with the problem. But that was to be expected.

Kakashi looked around, moving only his eye as he did so. "I can get a nurse, if you'd like." The offer seemed like the lesser of two evils; either would bruise Sasuke's ego, but judging by his reaction he had obviously had some form of assistance getting where he currently was. There was always the option of bringing Sai to him, but aside from rarely being that generous, Kakashi knew when the circumstances warranted leniency -- and this wasn't such a case.

[sasuke-of-sound.livejournal.com]

Sasuke very nearly agreed to the idea of a nurse, but a combination of pride and embarrassment held the word back from actually leaving his mouth.

He needed to train his hearing. And he needed to be able to trust Kakashi -- as an ally. And he was sick of his nurse and everything she represented (and the way she liked to propel him places like he was five years old).

That, and he was not going to look weak. The fact that Kakashi offered him an out was incentive enough in itself.

"I'll follow you," he said stiffly. "If you step heavily enough, I should be able to trace your steps easily enough."

'Easily' was probably a bluff. But he could probably do it. He would -- because he had to -- make it there. He'd show Kakashi that blind or not, he was still Uchiha Sasuke.

[raptscarecrow.livejournal.com]