Movie Night [Nejiko, Yuugao]
[Set while Nejiko is still in the hospital.]
When his teammates had asked what he was doing for the three day break they had Yuugao had just shrugged. "Nothing much" was the only thing they could get from him. In actuality, he had quite a few things planned. The biggest was another visit to see Nejiko. He'd dropped by twice since his first visit. Once she wasn't awake and the other time he hadn't been able to stay long. Mostly he had left some rice cakes, some small candies - in case she wanted flavor - and a chocolate pudding. Who ever went wrong with pudding? Chocolate, at that.
Now that it was his "weekend" of sorts, Yuugao stopped by a corner-store and picked up the necessities (along with a stop by his place to change and pick up a few other things) before he made the trek to the hospital. Evening was setting in then, with only a few heads turning as he hopped rooftops, but there were few enough people by the hospital that he reached Nejiko's window unnoticed. She was sitting up in the bed and he knocked on the windowsill gently, smiling when she looked over.
"Surprise, you busy?"
By the casual clothes he was wearing and the backpack, it would've been hard not to recognize that he had planned this in advance.
Nejiko smirked faintly when he arrived. "Of course not," she answered. When he left today, she was going to ask him to bring her a book or something.
The nurse that had picked up her mostly-empty tray the morning after his first visit and nearly whooped. The woman had certainly grinned as she asked how Nejiko enjoyed the food. Nejiko's response was to say she had only eaten the bread and had given the rest to a hungry cat. That earned her an odd look and a significant dimming of the other woman's joy. "But I'm glad you ate something," the nurse conceded.
Later on the Hokage had come in to see her, and told her how things would be. She was off the Akatsuki team. She would be released from the hospital once she reached a certain weight. After that she was to primarily rest and continue to eat. Any specifics regarding training and other matters (like reinstatement) he would disclose only when she reached the point where she would be allowed to train. Then he discuss it further.
So between wanting to simply be away from the hospital, wanting to get back to active duty, and the food Yuugao snuck her to help supplement the hospital food she didn't eat (the candies she saved for later just in case, but the pudding had been a most welcome change), she was eating a little more each day. The goal was to reach the point where she could go home by the end of the month. If she continued a steady rate of progress she might make it back to active duty by mid-October.
She couldn't wait.
The casual clothes Yuugao wore weren't as surprising as the backpack he carried. Maybe he had anticipated her asking for a book to go along with whatever food he might've brought along? (The doctor wasn't too happy with the fact she was eating non-sanctioned food, but said that in the long run the important thing was that she ate. At least they had taken her off the IV.) She didn't ask, however, instead letting him unpack the bag.
"Good, because I've been scheming." His grin was enormous and he plopped the bag down next to her bed, sitting near her without a thought and unzipping his bag. "Well, I brought you a few more things to eat since that hospital stuff isn't going to have much incentive, but I also got you another surprise." Yuugao turned to face her better and pulled out a large plastic bowl with seran-wrap over it. Filled with popcorn.
"It's plain, since I didn't know how'd you take to a lot of salt or butter, but it gets even better!" He set the bowl on the bed and then pulled out a video cassette emblazoned with samurai and ninja on the cover.
He shrugged and couldn't stop his grin from getting a little nervous. "It's really corny, but a favorite of mine."
"Scheming," she echoed before he continued speaking. Yuugao and scheming didn't so much make her wary as cautious because of his particular strain of unpredictability. Even after training with him for several months, she didn't have him fully figured out, though she acknowledged that some things simply unraveled in their own time, so she was going to go with the flow. The sight of the popcorn did make her half-smile. It had been a while since she'd had popcorn...
Cocking her head slightly, she gently pulled the cassette from his hand and turned it over to read the back. Typical fighter flick: two clans duking it out over honor and treasure du jour. "I think I know of a few more you might like," she said as she handed the tape back. "Gaia-sensei and Leigh have a strong fondness for this sort of film, and Sensei has a bit of a library. Part of our training included watching them together and discussing them afterwards."
He had similar tastes to Gaia and Leigh...? Huh. Considering the genre, it shouldn't have been a surprise. "You haven't seen this one, though, have you?"
Not that they couldn't talk and just eat the popcorn, but...he had hoped to watch the movie. It'd been a while since he had gotten anyone who he wanted to watch it with, either.
She shook her head. "No, this one is new to me."
"Good!" He got to his feet and grinned back at her as he walked to the television on the other side of the room. "I figured it would be a nice break from...y'know, the nothingness that goes on in hospitals." He crouched next to the television and popped the tape in, fiddling with settings as he spoke.
"It's older than it looks, actually. My father was the first one to show it to me. It's been...well, I guess it's been a Uzuki family tradition after that. You'll see why pretty soon."
He smirked and returned to the bed when it looked like he'd set everything up properly. "You don't mind...?" he asked as he started to sit back against the back of the bed beside her.
"No," she replied, moving over to make room while still leaving a few inches' space between them. She had reached a certain comfort level with him for her to allow him so close physically, but she remained picky about her personal space.
"Speaking of 'the nothingness that goes on in hospitals'," she said as she settled back against the pillows, "would you be able to bring a book with you next time? I'm sleeping less--not because of insomnia," she interjected quickly at his frown, "but because my energy level is improving. And it can get extremely boring to just lay here when you don't feel like you could nap."
"Definitely! Just let me know what kinds you want, or even a few specific titles and I can get them to you tomorrow." He grinned and then darted his eyes to the screen. "Oh! Look, that's the reason!"
The screen showed a master ninja sneaking through a traditional Japanese palace and then his name was splashed across the screen as the image stilled. 'Uzuki Yamato'. The name faded and the shot continued with him displaying numerous graceful maneuvers as he made his way to his goal.
Yuugao's grin looked it belonged more on a child than a hardened assassin. "It's awesome, right? Our clan gets to be the stars of the show in here."
Nejiko paused at his statement. Yes, of course she had seen the character's name in the back-of-box blurb, but she hadn't thought it was really his clan. But now she knew better. She shook her head a little in amused amazement, a smirk on her face.
Yuugao kept grinning and then felt his cheeks darken a little as he misinterpreted her amusement. Did she think it was...too silly? Or that he was being foolish? Or...what in the world was wrong with him?
"I did warn you it was corny..."
"No, it's fine," she assured him, the smirk staying. "I should show you one of the ones they did when trying to approximate the Hyuuga clan."
The Hyuuga clan movie? He'd only heard of it and....wow. It was the stuff forbidden awful media legends were made of. He smirked at her. "Yeah? I heard those tapes were banned on the west side of town."
"Oh, they are. I didn't even know the things existed until Gaia-sensei decided to show one of them one night." And she would never forget it. "It was....bad. In the way it was so incorrect it was funny. Poor Sensei, she took one look at my face and apologized if it offended me. In truth, I was struggling to keep from laughing." She understood movies were fiction, of course, but what had played on Gaia-sensei's TV was...memorable.
Yuugao just nodded and let her continue, wishing he had been the one to show it to her.
"If nothing else, the film was quite educational in getting a glimpse of how outclan see clan. We were up quite late as I had to debunk quite a few 'theories' that the film presented."
He raised an eyebrow. "What false theories did it present?"
Nejiko sighed quietly, recalling all the various incorrect details and sifting through them for some of the most glaringly basic ones. "For one, there was no distinction between main and branch. For another, it presumed that we used Byakugan within the compound outside of training purposes. We don't. It's a gross invasion of privacy."
"Huh." Yuugao narrowed his eyes and frowned to himself. "I guess I never thought about it. I just grew up knowing that Hyuuga were Hyuuga....and a bit on the snobby side, sorry." He gave her a wry smile. "Coming from a smaller clan with no bloodline, there's always some kind of jealousy."
Nejiko accepted the apology with good grace, and shrugged when he finished speaking. "That's something we as a clan have learned to just accept." Just because others were jealous meant very little, unless that jealously was acted upon. So far, aside from the attempted kidnapping of Hinaji so long ago, outclan were too fearful to attempt anything.
"Another theory of the film's was that clan children were born with colored eyes, but the color faded when Byakugan developed," she explained, going back to his original question. "Not true. I'm guessing that particular bit came about because someone dug up the Hyuuga-Uchiha connection, and surmised that because Uchiha eyes change colors when their doujutsu activates, that it might also be true for Hyuuga."
"Huh." As he thought about the incorrect assumptions the writer and producer had come to, it almost made sense. In a strange way. "It's funny, growing up ninja...I guess I just accepted things as they were and didn't try to figure out how it all worked. I mean, most bloodlines wouldn't even be believed if you hadn't seen one. Or grown up ninja." He shrugged, his mind latching onto a question related to the connection between to the two clans. Something he'd heard rattled off in those days back in the Academy. "...though, aren't the two clans related?"
Unfortunately. Aloud she said, "At this point, the blood connection is so tenuous as to be considered essentially non-existant. So, yes, they were." She didn't know (or care, for that matter) if Uchiha wanted to claim relation. Nejiko certainly did not and would not.
He gave her a wide grin in response. "I'm glad to know what the history text books I had to read about in the academy are still useful." Half of the information from back then had felt useless at the time, but as he got older, well, some of those little details still came in handy.
If only he'd known back then.
Nejiko let out a little huff of air that could be called quiet laughter. "I think the most amusing part of the film was that the film's Hyuuga 'civilians' were portrayed as being forbidden to fight. At that point, I did laugh." Because the 'civilians' were probably the main family, and to try and imagine them as being not only incapable of fighting, but forbidden from it, was absurd to the point of ludicrousness. They were, after all, the ones who learned and used the kaiten and the Sixty-four. Those two techniques were still banned from the branch family, and Nejiko forbidden to instruct anyone on how to perform them.
The civilian Hyuuga were....what? He couldn't help it- Yuugao let out a little snort as he laughed and stared at her. "Nothing? Not even some kung-fu or karate? Oh man..." That was just hilarious. Yuugao continued to laugh softly and shook his head.
"Not even basic self-defense," she went on. "No wonder the thing was banned. Must've pissed off the Council something fierce." Which of course meant they never talked about it.
Any time the Hyuuga Council was enraged everyone knew, but never spoke of it. And heaven help anyone who was on the receiving end of that wrath. "I really hope the civilian producer lived far, far away from Konoha."
"Last I heard he moved to the western edge of Grass Country." At the time of overhearing, she hadn't known the name or why it was important. Then she saw the movie's credits and understood immediately.
Yuugao laughed at how quickly and candidly she replied. "Council still probably has tabs on him, knowing how thorough Maruko-san was." Which was very, very thorough. Yuugao had thought his apparently OCD nature about his wires was over the top, but Maruko had practically made him laid back.
At least Nejiko could lighten up. It had taken more effort than he had wanted to expend to get on Maruko's good side.
An amused smirk prefaced Nejiko's next comment. "How else do you think I know where he moved to?" True, she hadn't been in attendance of a council meeting. The speaker she had overheard only happened to be a member of the Elder Council.
Yuugao gave her a lazy grin in return. "Oh, I dunno. Intuition?"
"Heh," she answered quietly.
He let his gaze drift back to the television as a familiar theme song played and he perked up. "You gotta at least watch this part." He pointed to the screen and grinned. "Uzuki kicks some serious butt here."
As he finished speaking - sure that Nejiko was watching now - the screen showed the protagonist, the same ninja from the beginning, surrounded by five samurai in a large old fashioned courtyard. The samurai threw out taunts and held their katana at the ready. The ninja simply stood calmly in the middle - his stance a perfect mirror of one that Yuugao had shown Nejiko during their first taijutsu lesson.
The five samurai converged on the ninja at the same time and the first to reach him was nimbly dodged with a simple twist the balls of his feet. The ninja only lightly touched the samurai and in the process the samurai was thrown off balance, falling onto his face. A second samurai reached the ninja and he caught the katana with his bare hands, jerking the blade down and then moving to the side, using the confused samurai's momentum to impale the first on the second's sword.
The third, fourth and fifth were dispatched in similarly smooth and effortless motions. But by that point, there were more samurai to replace the defeated foes. As the battle continued the ninja took only one small nick to his side and returned the scratch with a fury that caused several samurai to stumble away. He kept up the fluidity and when the battle was done, twenty samurai lay dead or dying.
Yuugao had watched the film so many times as to know exactly when the strikes and blocks came, making small half-punches and blocks in the air. Old habits died hard in this regard - besides, he had done it in time with his father since he had been young. Then again, it was part of the reason why Yuugao showed the film to so few people.
With the fight over, Yuugao let out a breathy "Yeah!" and the screen went black, returning to the angry samurai lord. The man bellowed on and on about how the defeat was unimaginable, impossible, the list went on.
Nejiko started with watching the film, but as Yuugao became more and more involved with the fight scenes, her attention split between the television and the man next to her. The ninja in the film had a very familiar-looking ready stance. Now wasn't that interesting?
She reached for a handful of popcorn (Yuugao being too engrossed with miming the fight) and munched on it a piece at a time. Yuugao's enthusiasm reminded her of movie night with her team, and how it wasn't uncommon for her and Tentsuke to duck the enthusastic limb-flailing that Leigh and Gaia-sensei indulged in as they alternately cheered and wept for the protaganist.
The ninja did know how to fight, she noted. Yes, she knew the fights were choreographed, but the man on screen knew what he was doing. He had a confidence that ran more typical of shinobi. ...He probably was shinobi at some point. Retired? He didn't look to be favoring any injuries.
"He puts on a good show," she said when Yuugao sat back.
A truly sincere compliment from Nejiko? Wow. Yuugao nodded. "I'm sure he'd be thrilled to hear a Hyuuga approves."
He let himself smile as he spotted her hand going for more popcorn. Good. He'd hoped she would enjoy it...and eat her fill.
Nejiko paused, hand almost to her mouth as she blinked at his comment. "Eh?"
His lips spread even bigger. "The character's name is Uzuki Yamato, but the actor? Is an uncle on my mother's side, so his real name is Nakayama Jun. Retired chuunin."
"Really?" she inquired. "Hm."
"Yup. He uh..." Yuugao felt his grin waver as he remembered the details of how his uncle was forced into early retirement. That stupid nobleman's daughter... "He fell out of favor here, disorderly conduct. And so he made his way in the civilian world. Started as a stunt man and then got to make his own movies."
[ooc: At this point, the scene becomes more conversation than introspection so Bel & Mina decided to continue things as a chat. Whee~]
Nejiko: *doesn't press as to how/why he fell out of favor* I suppose that is an option. *because a Hyuuga certainly wouldn't have it* He looks like he enjoys it.
Yuugao: Yeah. It was fun the few times I got to visit him as a kid. He was always way impressed by the jutsu I could do, and he even walked me onto the set of a movie once.
Nejiko: Oh?
Yuugao: Yeah. It was some weird one, about a foreigner getting stuck in the middle of Iwagakure and having to fight their way out. My uncle thought it was a huge joke of a movie, but it paid the bills.
Nejiko: *thinks* Wasn't that [insert movie title here]?
Yuugao: Bingo! *smirks* Got to have the main love interest sign a napkin for me, too. My mom was obsessed.
Nejiko: *nods, as can't really comment*
Yuugao: *shakes his head* I'd never felt so patronized in my life... so I guess for a few minutes I got to see what it was like to be a cute civilian little boy. *sighs* Never made me more glad to be a shinobi
Nejiko: Civilians are...confusing. *thinks, but then again so are outclan*
Yuugao: *shrugs* Pull a kunai out and they turn into chickens with their heads cut off.
Nejiko: I usually don't even get that far.
Yuugao: Yeah? *raises an eyebrow* I was just a foolish academy kid trying to show off my skills in the street. What'd you do? *blinks as he remembers her eyes aren't...normal for civilians* Oh....right.
Nejiko: Precisely.
Yuugao: I guess....huh. I suppose I've stopped being surprised at your eyes. Or well, I suppose a few of my academy classmates broke me of it first.
Nejiko: *nods* People here in Konoha are if not used to a Hyuuga's eyes, then at least accustomed. Outside of Konoha... *sighs quietly* The stares get tiring. The fear can be useful for the intimidation, but still tiring. And what no one considers is the opposite side of the coin. Outclan rarely enter the compound. We're fiercely protective of our privacy. *thinks, Disregarding my first chuunin exam...* So when it comes time to go to the Academy... People think our eyes are strange, but when you've grown up around family who only have white eyes, seeing spots of color where there should be none is more than a bit unsettling.
Yuugao: *smirks* That is definitely a perspective I hadn't considered. Then again...*glances up at his hair* I suppose I was strange in my own way. Purple hair isn't seen everyday.
Nejiko: *nods*
Yuugao: It's funny....I got so many accusations about being gay before I even knew what attraction was that I started to think it meant I liked to smile a lot. *rolls his eyes*
Nejiko: ....Because of your hair color?
Yuugao: Yup. One time I tied up a group of bullies that had been pestering me for weeks. That shut them up - and had the teacher complimenting my knots and wires.
Nejiko: *amused* I've had male cousins mistaken for women, much to their annoyance.
Yuugao: *cringes* Ouch. I think that's worse.
Nejiko: I'm told that as a whole, we're very androgynous. But then, most people in general don't notice details as much as we do.
Yuugao: Very true. *smiles* I guess I was blessed with good eyes despite my clan's tendency for using more brute force than anything.
Nejiko: Oh, that reminds me of another film fallacy. The "gentle fist" does not mean all we have to do is touch a person and then they go flying through the air. But yes, having good eyes is important. People who see notice enough to survive.
Yuugao: *nods* Yeah, I've witnessed the "gentle fist" once. *rubs at his ribs* Swear I can still remember what it felt like, too
Nejiko: I bet you do.
Yuugao: *smiles* I'll have to watch that Hyuuga film with you sometime, so you can point all the other things they screwed up.
Nejiko: *lifts an eyebrow* I hope you don't plan on hearing any actual dialogue from the film.
Yuugao: *cringes* It's even worse than the wrong information?
Nejiko: .... *chuckles* No, I mean I will probably end up spending most of the film talking over it.
Yuugao: Oh, okay. I was afraid we'd have to watch it with the mute on.
Nejiko: No, I don't believe the dialogue is that bad, but it has been a few years since I saw it.
Yuugao: *nods, glancing over at the tv* From what I remember, the dialogue isn't the best, but it's tolerable at least.
Nejiko: *tilts head a moment in concession, eats her popcorn* I will probably not point out everything that is wrong, but still an ample amount.
Yuugao: *grins* Well, at least getting the personally guided movie tour will be appreciated.
Nejiko: *half-smiles*
Yuugao: *smiles back and then silently watches the movie for a while*
Nejiko: *crunches popcorn, still on her first handful*
Yuugao: *eats some popcorn, content to let the movie finish or let her talk first*
Nejiko: *remains quiet and watches the movie; finishes her handful of popcorn* *finds her eyelids are starting to droop when there's an important talking-scene happening, but stubbornly clings to wakefulness* *has her pride after all*
[two minutes later]
Nejiko: *pride gets kicked to the curb and she falls asleep, and not too long after her head's now using Yuugao's shoulder as an impromptu pillow*
Yuugao: *at first, was too wrapped up in the dynamic fights scenes to notice that Nejiko was drifting, but once her head touched his shoulder...he freezes, glancing over and then discreetly looking back at the screen, keeping very, very still*
Nejiko: Zzzz...
Yuugao: *looks to the ceiling for a moment, wondering why this always happens to him....* *lets the movie finish and glances over at her every once in a while to see if she's waking up at all*
Nejiko: *after some time she shifts in her sleep, only to realize on a subconsicous level that the bed is different than it should be, which prompts her to wake up and lift her head. that's when she realizes she had been using his shoulder as a pillow* Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep like that. *shifts again, but this time so she's leaning on her pillows again while also reestablishing the small distance between them*
Yuugao: *glad its dark so his faint blush hopefully isn't visible* Oh, it's fine. I just...hope you slept well. I guess my shoulder's been used that way a few times. *smiles gently*
Nejiko: *nods* I am looking forward so very much to getting out of the hospital and back on me feet again. I miss being able to train.
Yuugao: It has been harder to stay motivated knowing that you're cooped up in here. *keeps telling himself to think of training instead of how nice it felt to have her head on his shoulder*
Nejiko: *smirks some* *realizes it's quieter and that the tv screen is a uniform blue* ...I slept through the rest of the movie?
Yuugao: Unfortunately. I thought your sleep was more precious than me trying to pause it for you. Do...you want me to rewind it? I don't mind rewatching it.
Nejiko: I would say yes if I didn't think I might fall asleep again. *eats a single piece of popcorn* But we could try again at a later point?
Yuugao: Sure. *brightens at seeing her eating* It might be easier to stay awake during the day, right? *pauses as he realizes it's doubtful he'll be able to get any time off during the day soon*
Nejiko: *nods* The sunlight helps.
Yuugao: Our bodies grow up thinking the dark is for sleeping and the sun is for wakefulness. It's just this ninja lifestyle that makes it impossible to follow instinct. *smiles despite how his comments felt a little too random...even to him* Do you need to call it a night?
Nejiko: *pauses because while she should probably sleep, she also gets to spend the whole day quite bored as Leigh has her missions and Nejiko didn't want anyone from the clan seeing her like this* Soon, probably. *doesn't want to make him stay if he needs to do stuff, since he is a captain*
Yuugao: *senses that something is up and frowns* I...can stay later, if you'd like. My shift starts at noon tomorrow.
Nejiko: Ah, day shifts. I don't believe I've had one of those since Asuka pulled her stunt.
Yuugao: *laughs softly* Yeah, the joy of seniority. It's right alongside a huge pile of paperwork.
Nejiko: Advantages of being a taichou, taichou?
Yuugao: *grins* Absolutely, right, kouhai-san. You get to talk to the higher up stiffs, get day shifts, and even scold the trouble makers.
Nejiko: *smirks* *thinks she might want to make captain herself some day* *eats another piece of popcorn and doesn't think to be surprised there's still popcorn left*
Yuugao: *held back considerably on his popcorn consumption so she would have some to eat* Speaking of captains....how have you been getting along with yours? It's Snake, right?
Nejiko: *nods* Well enough. She's a good commander. *tucks a few stray strands behind her ear* Though sometimes I feel I could be of better use in the Hunter division, instead of filling in for Asuka-sempai in Sentry.
Yuugao: Mm. *nods* Everyone tends to put in some time as a Sentry, though. I even did a year of it. *weak smile* Can't say I miss it.
Nejiko: Really? Hn. *will think on that tomorrow*
Yuugao: Yeah. My team did about an average of a year or so in Sentry. Then one was a guard for Sandaime-sama for a few months. Got wounded in action and by the time she was recovered Tsurude-sama was Hokage. *is totally ignoring the urge to see about transferring her to his team*
Nejiko: *sympathetically* Must've been rough for her.
Yuugao: Yeah. She doesn't complain now. *wicked smile* She'd probably sooner stab Tsurude-sama in the back than keep him alive.
Nejiko: *curious* Why do you say that?
Yuugao: *glances around first* Well, she's...not fond of gambling. Drinking, sure, she can drink anyone under the table. But a lot of Tsurude-sama's habits just drive her crazy.
Nejiko: Ahhh. *after a few moments* He does a good job, though. As Hokage.
Yuugao: Mm, not going to argue that. But I've just never seen someone so adamantly against a Hokage before. Sure, she'll buckle down and do the job for Konoha's sake, but if it wasn't for his title....*shrugs*
Nejiko: Has she thought about requesting a transfer? If it's that bad.
Yuugao: She likes the pay. *frowns to himself* Though...I should probably talk to her some more tomorrow. She's seemed more agitated lately.
Nejiko: *that's not good* Perhaps you should, then.
Yuugao: *nods* It's a little disconcerting to think that I haven't been too concerned about her until now. Chidori, another part of my team, had been telling me that she was getting uneasy talking to her...
Nejiko: *frowns a little herself now, though it's not directed at him* *also, the codename is surprising--she thinks of Kakami and Uchiha whenever someone mentions chidori*
Yuugao: *continues to frown to himself, then gets up from the bed and crouches next to his bag* Now this is really starting to bother me...I should check the schedule.
Nejiko: *nods, watching him* *lifts a hand to cover a silent yawn*
Yuugao: *pulls out a small black bound notebook and sits back on the bed, flipping through it* Let's see...hm. She's training tonight. *glances over at Nejiko and his expression softens* You look like you're going to fall asleep sitting up again.
Nejiko: *starts to wave a hand dismissively but ends up yawning again. dammitt* *sighs with a touch of annoyance and starts rearranging the pillows so she can lay down comfortably instead of sitting up. also, pushes the button so the bed lays flatter helps* *isn't asleep yet though*
Yuugao: *watches this and then shakes his head* I shouldn't keep you up too late, responsibilities or no. *gets off the bed again and puts away his schedule book, pulling out a few more rice cakes, and pudding in tupperware this time.*
Nejiko: Is the pudding going to be able to keep? *sounds doubtful, as she doesn't know when she'll wake*
Yuugao: It had a cold pack around it in my bag, so...*glances around the room and frowns* Hm. It might not, unfortunately.
Nejiko: ...I thought as much. *sounds a little disappointed. he brings good pudding*
Yuugao: *feels his heart sink perhaps a little too much at her disappointed tone* I...could leave the cold pack, I guess. It would keep it until morning, maybe.
Nejiko: *finds that idea to be perfect, and nods to indicate so* Thank you.
Yuugao: *grins* Hey, anything for a lady. *sets it up on her side table and starts to zip up his bag when he stiffens and spins around, a little wire extending from his right hand in a defensive move. But all that's sitting in the window is an ANBU woman with the fox mask* ...report?
Nejiko: *....something has to be up, if there are ANBU who aren't Yuugao popping in*
Fox: Hawk's gone rogue, sir. *mask tilts a little to Nejiko, before returning to Yuugao* Horse is in pursuit, but she's always been weaker.
Yuugao: *curses once under his breath* I'll be there immediately. *looks back to Nejiko* Sorry, I'll see you later?
Nejiko: *more awake now* Hai.
Yuugao: *nods once and picks up his bag, following Fox out the window in a blur*
Nejiko: *rolls onto her back, and wonders just what is going on. hopes, though, that things work out for the better, though the thought of an ANBU going rogue chills her blood as she knows that more than likely, it won't end well*
Nejiko: *eventually drifts off, with plans to ask him about what happened the next time she sees him*
When his teammates had asked what he was doing for the three day break they had Yuugao had just shrugged. "Nothing much" was the only thing they could get from him. In actuality, he had quite a few things planned. The biggest was another visit to see Nejiko. He'd dropped by twice since his first visit. Once she wasn't awake and the other time he hadn't been able to stay long. Mostly he had left some rice cakes, some small candies - in case she wanted flavor - and a chocolate pudding. Who ever went wrong with pudding? Chocolate, at that.
Now that it was his "weekend" of sorts, Yuugao stopped by a corner-store and picked up the necessities (along with a stop by his place to change and pick up a few other things) before he made the trek to the hospital. Evening was setting in then, with only a few heads turning as he hopped rooftops, but there were few enough people by the hospital that he reached Nejiko's window unnoticed. She was sitting up in the bed and he knocked on the windowsill gently, smiling when she looked over.
"Surprise, you busy?"
By the casual clothes he was wearing and the backpack, it would've been hard not to recognize that he had planned this in advance.
Nejiko smirked faintly when he arrived. "Of course not," she answered. When he left today, she was going to ask him to bring her a book or something.
The nurse that had picked up her mostly-empty tray the morning after his first visit and nearly whooped. The woman had certainly grinned as she asked how Nejiko enjoyed the food. Nejiko's response was to say she had only eaten the bread and had given the rest to a hungry cat. That earned her an odd look and a significant dimming of the other woman's joy. "But I'm glad you ate something," the nurse conceded.
Later on the Hokage had come in to see her, and told her how things would be. She was off the Akatsuki team. She would be released from the hospital once she reached a certain weight. After that she was to primarily rest and continue to eat. Any specifics regarding training and other matters (like reinstatement) he would disclose only when she reached the point where she would be allowed to train. Then he discuss it further.
So between wanting to simply be away from the hospital, wanting to get back to active duty, and the food Yuugao snuck her to help supplement the hospital food she didn't eat (the candies she saved for later just in case, but the pudding had been a most welcome change), she was eating a little more each day. The goal was to reach the point where she could go home by the end of the month. If she continued a steady rate of progress she might make it back to active duty by mid-October.
She couldn't wait.
The casual clothes Yuugao wore weren't as surprising as the backpack he carried. Maybe he had anticipated her asking for a book to go along with whatever food he might've brought along? (The doctor wasn't too happy with the fact she was eating non-sanctioned food, but said that in the long run the important thing was that she ate. At least they had taken her off the IV.) She didn't ask, however, instead letting him unpack the bag.
"Good, because I've been scheming." His grin was enormous and he plopped the bag down next to her bed, sitting near her without a thought and unzipping his bag. "Well, I brought you a few more things to eat since that hospital stuff isn't going to have much incentive, but I also got you another surprise." Yuugao turned to face her better and pulled out a large plastic bowl with seran-wrap over it. Filled with popcorn.
"It's plain, since I didn't know how'd you take to a lot of salt or butter, but it gets even better!" He set the bowl on the bed and then pulled out a video cassette emblazoned with samurai and ninja on the cover.
He shrugged and couldn't stop his grin from getting a little nervous. "It's really corny, but a favorite of mine."
"Scheming," she echoed before he continued speaking. Yuugao and scheming didn't so much make her wary as cautious because of his particular strain of unpredictability. Even after training with him for several months, she didn't have him fully figured out, though she acknowledged that some things simply unraveled in their own time, so she was going to go with the flow. The sight of the popcorn did make her half-smile. It had been a while since she'd had popcorn...
Cocking her head slightly, she gently pulled the cassette from his hand and turned it over to read the back. Typical fighter flick: two clans duking it out over honor and treasure du jour. "I think I know of a few more you might like," she said as she handed the tape back. "Gaia-sensei and Leigh have a strong fondness for this sort of film, and Sensei has a bit of a library. Part of our training included watching them together and discussing them afterwards."
He had similar tastes to Gaia and Leigh...? Huh. Considering the genre, it shouldn't have been a surprise. "You haven't seen this one, though, have you?"
Not that they couldn't talk and just eat the popcorn, but...he had hoped to watch the movie. It'd been a while since he had gotten anyone who he wanted to watch it with, either.
She shook her head. "No, this one is new to me."
"Good!" He got to his feet and grinned back at her as he walked to the television on the other side of the room. "I figured it would be a nice break from...y'know, the nothingness that goes on in hospitals." He crouched next to the television and popped the tape in, fiddling with settings as he spoke.
"It's older than it looks, actually. My father was the first one to show it to me. It's been...well, I guess it's been a Uzuki family tradition after that. You'll see why pretty soon."
He smirked and returned to the bed when it looked like he'd set everything up properly. "You don't mind...?" he asked as he started to sit back against the back of the bed beside her.
"No," she replied, moving over to make room while still leaving a few inches' space between them. She had reached a certain comfort level with him for her to allow him so close physically, but she remained picky about her personal space.
"Speaking of 'the nothingness that goes on in hospitals'," she said as she settled back against the pillows, "would you be able to bring a book with you next time? I'm sleeping less--not because of insomnia," she interjected quickly at his frown, "but because my energy level is improving. And it can get extremely boring to just lay here when you don't feel like you could nap."
"Definitely! Just let me know what kinds you want, or even a few specific titles and I can get them to you tomorrow." He grinned and then darted his eyes to the screen. "Oh! Look, that's the reason!"
The screen showed a master ninja sneaking through a traditional Japanese palace and then his name was splashed across the screen as the image stilled. 'Uzuki Yamato'. The name faded and the shot continued with him displaying numerous graceful maneuvers as he made his way to his goal.
Yuugao's grin looked it belonged more on a child than a hardened assassin. "It's awesome, right? Our clan gets to be the stars of the show in here."
Nejiko paused at his statement. Yes, of course she had seen the character's name in the back-of-box blurb, but she hadn't thought it was really his clan. But now she knew better. She shook her head a little in amused amazement, a smirk on her face.
Yuugao kept grinning and then felt his cheeks darken a little as he misinterpreted her amusement. Did she think it was...too silly? Or that he was being foolish? Or...what in the world was wrong with him?
"I did warn you it was corny..."
"No, it's fine," she assured him, the smirk staying. "I should show you one of the ones they did when trying to approximate the Hyuuga clan."
The Hyuuga clan movie? He'd only heard of it and....wow. It was the stuff forbidden awful media legends were made of. He smirked at her. "Yeah? I heard those tapes were banned on the west side of town."
"Oh, they are. I didn't even know the things existed until Gaia-sensei decided to show one of them one night." And she would never forget it. "It was....bad. In the way it was so incorrect it was funny. Poor Sensei, she took one look at my face and apologized if it offended me. In truth, I was struggling to keep from laughing." She understood movies were fiction, of course, but what had played on Gaia-sensei's TV was...memorable.
Yuugao just nodded and let her continue, wishing he had been the one to show it to her.
"If nothing else, the film was quite educational in getting a glimpse of how outclan see clan. We were up quite late as I had to debunk quite a few 'theories' that the film presented."
He raised an eyebrow. "What false theories did it present?"
Nejiko sighed quietly, recalling all the various incorrect details and sifting through them for some of the most glaringly basic ones. "For one, there was no distinction between main and branch. For another, it presumed that we used Byakugan within the compound outside of training purposes. We don't. It's a gross invasion of privacy."
"Huh." Yuugao narrowed his eyes and frowned to himself. "I guess I never thought about it. I just grew up knowing that Hyuuga were Hyuuga....and a bit on the snobby side, sorry." He gave her a wry smile. "Coming from a smaller clan with no bloodline, there's always some kind of jealousy."
Nejiko accepted the apology with good grace, and shrugged when he finished speaking. "That's something we as a clan have learned to just accept." Just because others were jealous meant very little, unless that jealously was acted upon. So far, aside from the attempted kidnapping of Hinaji so long ago, outclan were too fearful to attempt anything.
"Another theory of the film's was that clan children were born with colored eyes, but the color faded when Byakugan developed," she explained, going back to his original question. "Not true. I'm guessing that particular bit came about because someone dug up the Hyuuga-Uchiha connection, and surmised that because Uchiha eyes change colors when their doujutsu activates, that it might also be true for Hyuuga."
"Huh." As he thought about the incorrect assumptions the writer and producer had come to, it almost made sense. In a strange way. "It's funny, growing up ninja...I guess I just accepted things as they were and didn't try to figure out how it all worked. I mean, most bloodlines wouldn't even be believed if you hadn't seen one. Or grown up ninja." He shrugged, his mind latching onto a question related to the connection between to the two clans. Something he'd heard rattled off in those days back in the Academy. "...though, aren't the two clans related?"
Unfortunately. Aloud she said, "At this point, the blood connection is so tenuous as to be considered essentially non-existant. So, yes, they were." She didn't know (or care, for that matter) if Uchiha wanted to claim relation. Nejiko certainly did not and would not.
He gave her a wide grin in response. "I'm glad to know what the history text books I had to read about in the academy are still useful." Half of the information from back then had felt useless at the time, but as he got older, well, some of those little details still came in handy.
If only he'd known back then.
Nejiko let out a little huff of air that could be called quiet laughter. "I think the most amusing part of the film was that the film's Hyuuga 'civilians' were portrayed as being forbidden to fight. At that point, I did laugh." Because the 'civilians' were probably the main family, and to try and imagine them as being not only incapable of fighting, but forbidden from it, was absurd to the point of ludicrousness. They were, after all, the ones who learned and used the kaiten and the Sixty-four. Those two techniques were still banned from the branch family, and Nejiko forbidden to instruct anyone on how to perform them.
The civilian Hyuuga were....what? He couldn't help it- Yuugao let out a little snort as he laughed and stared at her. "Nothing? Not even some kung-fu or karate? Oh man..." That was just hilarious. Yuugao continued to laugh softly and shook his head.
"Not even basic self-defense," she went on. "No wonder the thing was banned. Must've pissed off the Council something fierce." Which of course meant they never talked about it.
Any time the Hyuuga Council was enraged everyone knew, but never spoke of it. And heaven help anyone who was on the receiving end of that wrath. "I really hope the civilian producer lived far, far away from Konoha."
"Last I heard he moved to the western edge of Grass Country." At the time of overhearing, she hadn't known the name or why it was important. Then she saw the movie's credits and understood immediately.
Yuugao laughed at how quickly and candidly she replied. "Council still probably has tabs on him, knowing how thorough Maruko-san was." Which was very, very thorough. Yuugao had thought his apparently OCD nature about his wires was over the top, but Maruko had practically made him laid back.
At least Nejiko could lighten up. It had taken more effort than he had wanted to expend to get on Maruko's good side.
An amused smirk prefaced Nejiko's next comment. "How else do you think I know where he moved to?" True, she hadn't been in attendance of a council meeting. The speaker she had overheard only happened to be a member of the Elder Council.
Yuugao gave her a lazy grin in return. "Oh, I dunno. Intuition?"
"Heh," she answered quietly.
He let his gaze drift back to the television as a familiar theme song played and he perked up. "You gotta at least watch this part." He pointed to the screen and grinned. "Uzuki kicks some serious butt here."
As he finished speaking - sure that Nejiko was watching now - the screen showed the protagonist, the same ninja from the beginning, surrounded by five samurai in a large old fashioned courtyard. The samurai threw out taunts and held their katana at the ready. The ninja simply stood calmly in the middle - his stance a perfect mirror of one that Yuugao had shown Nejiko during their first taijutsu lesson.
The five samurai converged on the ninja at the same time and the first to reach him was nimbly dodged with a simple twist the balls of his feet. The ninja only lightly touched the samurai and in the process the samurai was thrown off balance, falling onto his face. A second samurai reached the ninja and he caught the katana with his bare hands, jerking the blade down and then moving to the side, using the confused samurai's momentum to impale the first on the second's sword.
The third, fourth and fifth were dispatched in similarly smooth and effortless motions. But by that point, there were more samurai to replace the defeated foes. As the battle continued the ninja took only one small nick to his side and returned the scratch with a fury that caused several samurai to stumble away. He kept up the fluidity and when the battle was done, twenty samurai lay dead or dying.
Yuugao had watched the film so many times as to know exactly when the strikes and blocks came, making small half-punches and blocks in the air. Old habits died hard in this regard - besides, he had done it in time with his father since he had been young. Then again, it was part of the reason why Yuugao showed the film to so few people.
With the fight over, Yuugao let out a breathy "Yeah!" and the screen went black, returning to the angry samurai lord. The man bellowed on and on about how the defeat was unimaginable, impossible, the list went on.
Nejiko started with watching the film, but as Yuugao became more and more involved with the fight scenes, her attention split between the television and the man next to her. The ninja in the film had a very familiar-looking ready stance. Now wasn't that interesting?
She reached for a handful of popcorn (Yuugao being too engrossed with miming the fight) and munched on it a piece at a time. Yuugao's enthusiasm reminded her of movie night with her team, and how it wasn't uncommon for her and Tentsuke to duck the enthusastic limb-flailing that Leigh and Gaia-sensei indulged in as they alternately cheered and wept for the protaganist.
The ninja did know how to fight, she noted. Yes, she knew the fights were choreographed, but the man on screen knew what he was doing. He had a confidence that ran more typical of shinobi. ...He probably was shinobi at some point. Retired? He didn't look to be favoring any injuries.
"He puts on a good show," she said when Yuugao sat back.
A truly sincere compliment from Nejiko? Wow. Yuugao nodded. "I'm sure he'd be thrilled to hear a Hyuuga approves."
He let himself smile as he spotted her hand going for more popcorn. Good. He'd hoped she would enjoy it...and eat her fill.
Nejiko paused, hand almost to her mouth as she blinked at his comment. "Eh?"
His lips spread even bigger. "The character's name is Uzuki Yamato, but the actor? Is an uncle on my mother's side, so his real name is Nakayama Jun. Retired chuunin."
"Really?" she inquired. "Hm."
"Yup. He uh..." Yuugao felt his grin waver as he remembered the details of how his uncle was forced into early retirement. That stupid nobleman's daughter... "He fell out of favor here, disorderly conduct. And so he made his way in the civilian world. Started as a stunt man and then got to make his own movies."
[ooc: At this point, the scene becomes more conversation than introspection so Bel & Mina decided to continue things as a chat. Whee~]
Nejiko: *doesn't press as to how/why he fell out of favor* I suppose that is an option. *because a Hyuuga certainly wouldn't have it* He looks like he enjoys it.
Yuugao: Yeah. It was fun the few times I got to visit him as a kid. He was always way impressed by the jutsu I could do, and he even walked me onto the set of a movie once.
Nejiko: Oh?
Yuugao: Yeah. It was some weird one, about a foreigner getting stuck in the middle of Iwagakure and having to fight their way out. My uncle thought it was a huge joke of a movie, but it paid the bills.
Nejiko: *thinks* Wasn't that [insert movie title here]?
Yuugao: Bingo! *smirks* Got to have the main love interest sign a napkin for me, too. My mom was obsessed.
Nejiko: *nods, as can't really comment*
Yuugao: *shakes his head* I'd never felt so patronized in my life... so I guess for a few minutes I got to see what it was like to be a cute civilian little boy. *sighs* Never made me more glad to be a shinobi
Nejiko: Civilians are...confusing. *thinks, but then again so are outclan*
Yuugao: *shrugs* Pull a kunai out and they turn into chickens with their heads cut off.
Nejiko: I usually don't even get that far.
Yuugao: Yeah? *raises an eyebrow* I was just a foolish academy kid trying to show off my skills in the street. What'd you do? *blinks as he remembers her eyes aren't...normal for civilians* Oh....right.
Nejiko: Precisely.
Yuugao: I guess....huh. I suppose I've stopped being surprised at your eyes. Or well, I suppose a few of my academy classmates broke me of it first.
Nejiko: *nods* People here in Konoha are if not used to a Hyuuga's eyes, then at least accustomed. Outside of Konoha... *sighs quietly* The stares get tiring. The fear can be useful for the intimidation, but still tiring. And what no one considers is the opposite side of the coin. Outclan rarely enter the compound. We're fiercely protective of our privacy. *thinks, Disregarding my first chuunin exam...* So when it comes time to go to the Academy... People think our eyes are strange, but when you've grown up around family who only have white eyes, seeing spots of color where there should be none is more than a bit unsettling.
Yuugao: *smirks* That is definitely a perspective I hadn't considered. Then again...*glances up at his hair* I suppose I was strange in my own way. Purple hair isn't seen everyday.
Nejiko: *nods*
Yuugao: It's funny....I got so many accusations about being gay before I even knew what attraction was that I started to think it meant I liked to smile a lot. *rolls his eyes*
Nejiko: ....Because of your hair color?
Yuugao: Yup. One time I tied up a group of bullies that had been pestering me for weeks. That shut them up - and had the teacher complimenting my knots and wires.
Nejiko: *amused* I've had male cousins mistaken for women, much to their annoyance.
Yuugao: *cringes* Ouch. I think that's worse.
Nejiko: I'm told that as a whole, we're very androgynous. But then, most people in general don't notice details as much as we do.
Yuugao: Very true. *smiles* I guess I was blessed with good eyes despite my clan's tendency for using more brute force than anything.
Nejiko: Oh, that reminds me of another film fallacy. The "gentle fist" does not mean all we have to do is touch a person and then they go flying through the air. But yes, having good eyes is important. People who see notice enough to survive.
Yuugao: *nods* Yeah, I've witnessed the "gentle fist" once. *rubs at his ribs* Swear I can still remember what it felt like, too
Nejiko: I bet you do.
Yuugao: *smiles* I'll have to watch that Hyuuga film with you sometime, so you can point all the other things they screwed up.
Nejiko: *lifts an eyebrow* I hope you don't plan on hearing any actual dialogue from the film.
Yuugao: *cringes* It's even worse than the wrong information?
Nejiko: .... *chuckles* No, I mean I will probably end up spending most of the film talking over it.
Yuugao: Oh, okay. I was afraid we'd have to watch it with the mute on.
Nejiko: No, I don't believe the dialogue is that bad, but it has been a few years since I saw it.
Yuugao: *nods, glancing over at the tv* From what I remember, the dialogue isn't the best, but it's tolerable at least.
Nejiko: *tilts head a moment in concession, eats her popcorn* I will probably not point out everything that is wrong, but still an ample amount.
Yuugao: *grins* Well, at least getting the personally guided movie tour will be appreciated.
Nejiko: *half-smiles*
Yuugao: *smiles back and then silently watches the movie for a while*
Nejiko: *crunches popcorn, still on her first handful*
Yuugao: *eats some popcorn, content to let the movie finish or let her talk first*
Nejiko: *remains quiet and watches the movie; finishes her handful of popcorn* *finds her eyelids are starting to droop when there's an important talking-scene happening, but stubbornly clings to wakefulness* *has her pride after all*
[two minutes later]
Nejiko: *pride gets kicked to the curb and she falls asleep, and not too long after her head's now using Yuugao's shoulder as an impromptu pillow*
Yuugao: *at first, was too wrapped up in the dynamic fights scenes to notice that Nejiko was drifting, but once her head touched his shoulder...he freezes, glancing over and then discreetly looking back at the screen, keeping very, very still*
Nejiko: Zzzz...
Yuugao: *looks to the ceiling for a moment, wondering why this always happens to him....* *lets the movie finish and glances over at her every once in a while to see if she's waking up at all*
Nejiko: *after some time she shifts in her sleep, only to realize on a subconsicous level that the bed is different than it should be, which prompts her to wake up and lift her head. that's when she realizes she had been using his shoulder as a pillow* Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep like that. *shifts again, but this time so she's leaning on her pillows again while also reestablishing the small distance between them*
Yuugao: *glad its dark so his faint blush hopefully isn't visible* Oh, it's fine. I just...hope you slept well. I guess my shoulder's been used that way a few times. *smiles gently*
Nejiko: *nods* I am looking forward so very much to getting out of the hospital and back on me feet again. I miss being able to train.
Yuugao: It has been harder to stay motivated knowing that you're cooped up in here. *keeps telling himself to think of training instead of how nice it felt to have her head on his shoulder*
Nejiko: *smirks some* *realizes it's quieter and that the tv screen is a uniform blue* ...I slept through the rest of the movie?
Yuugao: Unfortunately. I thought your sleep was more precious than me trying to pause it for you. Do...you want me to rewind it? I don't mind rewatching it.
Nejiko: I would say yes if I didn't think I might fall asleep again. *eats a single piece of popcorn* But we could try again at a later point?
Yuugao: Sure. *brightens at seeing her eating* It might be easier to stay awake during the day, right? *pauses as he realizes it's doubtful he'll be able to get any time off during the day soon*
Nejiko: *nods* The sunlight helps.
Yuugao: Our bodies grow up thinking the dark is for sleeping and the sun is for wakefulness. It's just this ninja lifestyle that makes it impossible to follow instinct. *smiles despite how his comments felt a little too random...even to him* Do you need to call it a night?
Nejiko: *pauses because while she should probably sleep, she also gets to spend the whole day quite bored as Leigh has her missions and Nejiko didn't want anyone from the clan seeing her like this* Soon, probably. *doesn't want to make him stay if he needs to do stuff, since he is a captain*
Yuugao: *senses that something is up and frowns* I...can stay later, if you'd like. My shift starts at noon tomorrow.
Nejiko: Ah, day shifts. I don't believe I've had one of those since Asuka pulled her stunt.
Yuugao: *laughs softly* Yeah, the joy of seniority. It's right alongside a huge pile of paperwork.
Nejiko: Advantages of being a taichou, taichou?
Yuugao: *grins* Absolutely, right, kouhai-san. You get to talk to the higher up stiffs, get day shifts, and even scold the trouble makers.
Nejiko: *smirks* *thinks she might want to make captain herself some day* *eats another piece of popcorn and doesn't think to be surprised there's still popcorn left*
Yuugao: *held back considerably on his popcorn consumption so she would have some to eat* Speaking of captains....how have you been getting along with yours? It's Snake, right?
Nejiko: *nods* Well enough. She's a good commander. *tucks a few stray strands behind her ear* Though sometimes I feel I could be of better use in the Hunter division, instead of filling in for Asuka-sempai in Sentry.
Yuugao: Mm. *nods* Everyone tends to put in some time as a Sentry, though. I even did a year of it. *weak smile* Can't say I miss it.
Nejiko: Really? Hn. *will think on that tomorrow*
Yuugao: Yeah. My team did about an average of a year or so in Sentry. Then one was a guard for Sandaime-sama for a few months. Got wounded in action and by the time she was recovered Tsurude-sama was Hokage. *is totally ignoring the urge to see about transferring her to his team*
Nejiko: *sympathetically* Must've been rough for her.
Yuugao: Yeah. She doesn't complain now. *wicked smile* She'd probably sooner stab Tsurude-sama in the back than keep him alive.
Nejiko: *curious* Why do you say that?
Yuugao: *glances around first* Well, she's...not fond of gambling. Drinking, sure, she can drink anyone under the table. But a lot of Tsurude-sama's habits just drive her crazy.
Nejiko: Ahhh. *after a few moments* He does a good job, though. As Hokage.
Yuugao: Mm, not going to argue that. But I've just never seen someone so adamantly against a Hokage before. Sure, she'll buckle down and do the job for Konoha's sake, but if it wasn't for his title....*shrugs*
Nejiko: Has she thought about requesting a transfer? If it's that bad.
Yuugao: She likes the pay. *frowns to himself* Though...I should probably talk to her some more tomorrow. She's seemed more agitated lately.
Nejiko: *that's not good* Perhaps you should, then.
Yuugao: *nods* It's a little disconcerting to think that I haven't been too concerned about her until now. Chidori, another part of my team, had been telling me that she was getting uneasy talking to her...
Nejiko: *frowns a little herself now, though it's not directed at him* *also, the codename is surprising--she thinks of Kakami and Uchiha whenever someone mentions chidori*
Yuugao: *continues to frown to himself, then gets up from the bed and crouches next to his bag* Now this is really starting to bother me...I should check the schedule.
Nejiko: *nods, watching him* *lifts a hand to cover a silent yawn*
Yuugao: *pulls out a small black bound notebook and sits back on the bed, flipping through it* Let's see...hm. She's training tonight. *glances over at Nejiko and his expression softens* You look like you're going to fall asleep sitting up again.
Nejiko: *starts to wave a hand dismissively but ends up yawning again. dammitt* *sighs with a touch of annoyance and starts rearranging the pillows so she can lay down comfortably instead of sitting up. also, pushes the button so the bed lays flatter helps* *isn't asleep yet though*
Yuugao: *watches this and then shakes his head* I shouldn't keep you up too late, responsibilities or no. *gets off the bed again and puts away his schedule book, pulling out a few more rice cakes, and pudding in tupperware this time.*
Nejiko: Is the pudding going to be able to keep? *sounds doubtful, as she doesn't know when she'll wake*
Yuugao: It had a cold pack around it in my bag, so...*glances around the room and frowns* Hm. It might not, unfortunately.
Nejiko: ...I thought as much. *sounds a little disappointed. he brings good pudding*
Yuugao: *feels his heart sink perhaps a little too much at her disappointed tone* I...could leave the cold pack, I guess. It would keep it until morning, maybe.
Nejiko: *finds that idea to be perfect, and nods to indicate so* Thank you.
Yuugao: *grins* Hey, anything for a lady. *sets it up on her side table and starts to zip up his bag when he stiffens and spins around, a little wire extending from his right hand in a defensive move. But all that's sitting in the window is an ANBU woman with the fox mask* ...report?
Nejiko: *....something has to be up, if there are ANBU who aren't Yuugao popping in*
Fox: Hawk's gone rogue, sir. *mask tilts a little to Nejiko, before returning to Yuugao* Horse is in pursuit, but she's always been weaker.
Yuugao: *curses once under his breath* I'll be there immediately. *looks back to Nejiko* Sorry, I'll see you later?
Nejiko: *more awake now* Hai.
Yuugao: *nods once and picks up his bag, following Fox out the window in a blur*
Nejiko: *rolls onto her back, and wonders just what is going on. hopes, though, that things work out for the better, though the thought of an ANBU going rogue chills her blood as she knows that more than likely, it won't end well*
Nejiko: *eventually drifts off, with plans to ask him about what happened the next time she sees him*