[complete] A Plant Transaction

[koff_koff]

Narrative: Closed, Complete.
Characters: Zetsu, Hayate
General Setting: Outside the Gama house; Namekuji Room #203
Summary: Transaction of a plant... and other things.
Warnings: Zetsu. Drugs.

Comments

[koff_koff]

"It would be."

He wondered if Zetsu always looked that way, if he was an easily irritable and rude man. Taking the plant would not only be doing the senpai a favour but everyone else too; one less problem for an irritable upperclassman is one less problem for the younger years. Believing Zetsu wanted a last sentimental look at his plant, Hayate couldn't see Zetsu frequenting his dorm room, he held the box out to him.

The plant's mature size was lacking in Hayate's knowledge. With all the odd herbs and connoctations Hayate kept in the room, he wasn't worried about someone besides Genma confronting him about it. And if need be, he would use a jutsu and the snow wouldn't last forever. Thankfully. He looked down and pushed aside a good amount of snow with the side of his boot.

"When can I expect you to... take it back?"

[zetsuchew]

“But you can’t.” Zetsu adds hastily, lifting up one cardboard flap and peering inside to see the three separate pots, each with a small green plant with three immature pods. “The seeds can only be collected after I take the...” He flounders for a word, “... fruit. So just water it once a day and leave it alone. Put it by the window.”

By now Zetsu is thoroughly shaken by the concept of someone watching him give up opium plants to Hayate (Shinobi paranoia, he'll blame it on that until the end of time!). It’s driving him crazy. They both need to get back to their dorms.

“I’ll come get them in about two and a half months.”

[koff_koff]

"Hnn," Hayate listened carefully. Closing the lid against the cold, he clutched the box to his chest. "If that will be all..."

Polite courtesy wasn't expected from Zetsu and he certainly wasn't going to thank him for the opportunity to gain the supposed trust. But why fruit plants need to be hidden, the younger teen stepped to the side and turned to face the Namekuji building, deciding it safer to analyze the situation in the safety of his room.

"Enjoy the weekend."

[zetsuchew]

Zetsu doesn’t bother himself with a lengthy good bye, or any good bye at all. He just sinks into the snow and surfaces barely twenty yards over in front of the main doors of the Namekuji house.

------

Zetsu has it in his right mind several hours later that he should distribute more plants out of his personal garden to his lovely kouhai Hayate.

It had slipped his mind earlier that there was a pot of marijuana hiding out in a secret compartment in the green house he made in his third year at Konoha College. It wasn’t quite ready to be harvested yet. And, well, Hayate has his opium, why not trust him even -more- with his other narcotic plant?

He finds himself seven minutes later with the flourishing plant in front of Hayate’s dorm, kicking it feverishly.

[koff_koff]

Hayate had been sitting on his bed with open textbooks scattered around him, cross-referencing information with the personal medical journal he kept when he sensed Zetsu's presence. Shoving the journal under his pillow, Hayate went to open the door before it could break off from its hinges.

"Zetsu...senpai?" Hayate thought they were done with any business. Two opium pots sat directly in the windowsill, the Southern direction would give them a hearty amount of sunshine, while the third plant sat on his desk next to the jars of Chinese ingredients. It was a good spot for indirect light and that way he didn't hog all the open space from his roommate. "Is there something you need?"

[zetsuchew]

Zetsu picks up the plant shoved up against the wall and shoves through into Hayate’s dorm. Waiting for an invitation in is overrated. He turns around, half way in and peers over the top of the large, leafy plant.

“I need you to watch this one too.”

[koff_koff]

Hayate took a long look at the plant and shot his senpai an accusing glare. "I know what this is. It's still too young... but I know."

He shook his head. And of course Genma would know. It was extremely doubtful he would return the marijuana plant completely intact without taking a little something for himself. The drug was a sweet friend to Hayate. "For a price."

[zetsuchew]

Zetsu scowls and unconsciously pulls the pot close. He has an awful feeling knotting up in the pit of his stomach concerning this (perhaps he should go back to Sasori?), but he knows that paying Hayate to watch it will be less of a hassle than having Yamato -discover- it. No doubt there will trouble in that.

“Name your price.” He is desperate.

[koff_koff]

"After... are you selling or... smoking?" A few months had passed since his last encounter with the substance and as much as he put faith in the herbal teas, some nights it just didn't help the chest pains. He too was desperate but he didn't let the emotion slip past the neutral and almost bored mask he wore.

"You only have this one?" Hayate asked.

[zetsuchew]

“I’m smart enough not to get indulged in my product; I sell. It’s how I pay for this education.”

Zetsu notices his opium plants, two in the window-sill, another on the night stand. The open medicinal texts on the bed also catch his eye and he is starting to read them...

“For now.” He replies without even thinking, but realization kicks in and he glares heatedly at his kouhai.

[koff_koff]

"For now. I don't think you can pay for your education with a single plant."

Hayate didn't want to accuse his senpai of being a poor businessman by starting off the school year with only one plant, a plant that couldn't yet produce anything. It was incredibly foolish of Zetsu. With a slight bow he stiffly swept his hand back to the still open door. The pages were flipped to various lung conditions, nothing he had to hide, everyone knew he had some sort of respiratory problem but he had no business with the upperclassman if...

"I'm sorry senpai. But unless you can guarantee me two grams every week for the trouble I'm going to have to withdraw my assistance," Hayate spoke softly and remained steady under Zetsu's glare. "For the... one you just brought in."

[zetsuchew]

Zetsu stares Hayate down. Instead of currency he wants the weed. He never would have suspected Hayate to be a drug-addict.

If the yield is good, then the plant will produce about a pound, sixteen ounces, four hundred forty-eight grams.

“Deal.”

[koff_koff]

Hayate blinked in confusion. That had gone surprisingly well. Feeling his face flush under the heavy glare, he attempted to hide his discomfort by coughing and quickly finding a mission in closing the textbooks.

"I'm... hoping you're a good man, senpai. You know how much trouble you could get into for this. I can... use my medical condition as a cover. Remember this."