because we're too impatient to wait to get to older brats

[Sabaku]

Kouji shut his eyes as he let his head fall back against the tree trunk, the knot of his headband cushioning the impact. This place had never changed, not since the early days of his academy training, when he would run from his classmates or his life with the Hyuuga to find his solace here, in the weight of a kunai in his hand or the impact of his fists against the trees. The birdsong was the same, the heavy humid air, thick with the smells of sap and earth.

It felt like home.

But home was different now. Home was with Shirio, far from the Hyuuga walls and the undisguised stares. A small smile touched his lips, and he shifted his weight, letting his legs slide off the branch as his eyes opened. It was about time he went back. Shirio had been away for near to a week now, off on some mission for the Hokage, the details of which were vague at best; Kouji found that in his absence he wandered more, kept his thoughts turned more and more firmly toward the training and testing that would pave his slow way into Anbu.

He found that he didn't much want to linger there, when the rooms felt too large and too empty, too much to fill on his own.

It was a long walk back, much longer than it had been when he'd lived with the Hyuuga. Kouji's limbs ached. Days were spent in long hours of training, pushing his body to its utter limits and then sharing the fruits of his efforts in the hopes they would be enough; in the nights he wandered often, walking the village and the surrounding forest, thinking, letting his mind wander over everything and nothing.

Sitting had left him stiff and sore, but there wasn't much to be done for it short of a swim in the river like he'd always loved, warm in the full of summer, but it was a long walk the other direction, and he didn't much feel like making his way that far when his legs already protested the steps. He took a deep breath, drawing in the forest smells, let it out in a gusty sigh. It was good to push himself. It would only make him stronger, in the end. Anbu would demand that of him and more; how could he give it then, if he wasn't willing to now?

His steps turned when he reached the village gates, leading him down narrow streets and broad, moving almost aimlessly beneath the overhanging buildings as he pushed his hands back through his hair. Should have brought something to tie it back. It was getting long now, and it was hot on his neck, clinging to the sides of his face. Something to remember for tomorrow.

He paused. From here the Hyuuga walls were all too visible, towering over the nearby structures with an imposing pride of their own, denying the unworthy. His eyes lingered there. Familiar and distant...yet they seemed smaller when he didn't stand in their shadow.

Kouji shivered in the summer breeze, and went on.

By the time home was in view, dusk had settled over the village, streaking the sky in violet. Stifling a yawn, he pushed the gate back, let it close on its own, glancing up at the clouds as he made his way to the door. Maybe he'd sleep early tonight, get an early start in the morning...he was more tired than he cared to admit, and it wasn't as though he had anything to occupy his attention now that he was home. He was hungry, but...food seemed like too much of an effort just now.

Leaving his sandals at the door, he stretched his arms over his head, reached down to tug up his shirt and fling it aside to be picked up later. Not like him. He'd always been a clean person, quick to pick up after himself, despising clutter, but perhaps Shirio was a bad...

Shirio.

Kouji blinked, and then a smile spread on his face, broad and genuine. He was laying there, asleep, as though he'd never left, sprawled on the couch like he could slide off at any moment. So like him. Not a care in the world once he made it home, no matter what sort of mission he'd been sent off on or how long he'd been gone.

It sent a feeling of relief through him he didn't quite expect, and he walked slowly over to him, dropping to the floor to rest his back against the front of the couch. Questions flickered through his mind, things he wanted to say, but there would be time for that later...it didn't seem right to wake him, and Kouji was tired, too, more than he'd realized. His head sank back into the corner between the side cushion and the armrest, and he did yawn, letting his eyes close, drowsing to the soft sound of Shirio's breath rising and falling next to him.

For now, they'd both earned their rest.

[Toboe]

Nothing ever goes according to plan. Nothing. Perhaps it was his fate, or maybe some preordained extended stream of bad luck? Missions such as the one he had been on weren't your typical fare, and that is what Shirio thought he'd like about ANBU. Go out into the world, save it and it's damsels in distress, then make it home by dinner and sleep the night away. It was anything but that. The world was nasty, the damsels often tried to kill him, and dinner typically waited three to four days with sparse napping which often happened high up in the trees where they'd be difficult to find. Not exactly comfortable. So he made a bee line for the couch once he had finally managed to get home, his gear getting strewn about until his body met the cushions, falling asleep almost instantly.

Shirio slept for hours. He couldn't be sure how many, but judging by the light in the room it was almost dusk. He threw his arms up into the air, stretching with a grunt, then a scent caught his nose. Looking over he spotted the top of his best friend's head, almost laughing. What an odd place to fall asleep. Shirio got up, stretching a bit more before picking Kouji up off the floor, laying him down on the couch. He didn't wake. Knowing of Kouji's work ethic, Shirio wasn't too surprised that he was so worn out. He heard how hard he's been training for ANBU.

Leaving Kouji to rest, he gathered his things, piling them up in his arms, before carrying them back to his room, cleaning up his mess before he could get scolded even though 'someone' was starting to get just as bad. Shiromaru was sleeping on the bed when Shirio entered, he too worn from the mission. Caked with dirt, he seemed to not even care that he was leaving piles of it on mattress. The teen could only let out an exasperated sigh as he left the room. How could he get angry, he does the same thing himself.

“Man I'm hungry...” He muttered to himself as he walked into the bathroom, grabbing a washcloth as he made his way to the sink, flicking on the light along the way. He stared into the mirror, looking at his reflection. His face was dark with dirt, his hair matted and more messy than usual. It had been a long week, very long, and it was showing. The plan to just wash up before making dinner was futile. He couldn't clean himself enough with just the cloth, he had to cave and take a shower.

The warm water burned as it washed over his cuts, making Shirio hiss as he carefully washed himself. It was always like this, after each mission. Often his compatriots would us ninjutsu to fight off their enemies, but Shirio was mostly taijutsu. Close combat lead to injury. Most of the time it was just bruises and small cuts, but the deep gash on his side, the burn on his arm, the stab wound in his lower back, all showed just how hard they had it this time around. “Occupational hazard...” That's how he always justified it, and in his head it sounded right, but that didn't stop him from questioning it from time to time.

~Short time later~

“Shirio..”

“What?”

“Kouji told you to not walk around the house naked.”

“He's asleep, besides I'm just going to my room.”

There was a defeated sigh.

“Shirio...”

“What, Shiromaru??” Shirio tossed his dirty clothes into a pile in the corner of his room.

“I've heard something you should know about.”

“About?”

“The Hyuuga.”

Shirio paused for a second, half glancing back as he dug through his dresser drawer. “What about them?”

“They're still upset that Kouji left the compound. They feel as if the Inuzuka, specifically you, are stepping all over their traditional rights to keep him there.”

“He's a person, not bloody livestock. Fuck their traditions. Besides, as long as he's here they can't do anything about it. The matter is settled as far as my family is concerned.”

“Shirio....” Shiromaru closed some distance between them. “... if they feel threatened, they could.... use the seal.”

Shirio's eyes widened. He hadn't thought about that, but Shiromaru was right. Without saying a word he grabbed kunai and started for the door, only to be blocked by the enormous dog.

“What are you doing?! Shirio! Get ahold of yourself. I didn't tell you this so you can go and do it for them!”

“I'm not going to kill him, you idiot!”

“No one knows what'll happen if you break the seal! Besides, what about Kouji!? You can't just go up and start cutting apart his forehead!”

“I can't let them do this to him! I can't let them do anything else to him!”

“Shirio! Stop!” Shiromaru shoved Shirio back onto the floor before pinning him down with his front paws. “What's the matter with you?


“I can't let them... I need him, Shiromaru! I need him.”

“Need.... need? What the hell do you mea.... oh no. No, no. You surely don't mean....”

There was a metallic ping as the kunai fell from Shirio's hand onto the floor.

“You really are an idiot, you know that? Not only is he your best friend, you both are shinobi. He's training to become ANBU. You can't be... like that with someone who will ALWAYS be in danger. Shirio, you have to let this go.”

“I... I can't.” Shirio pulled himself out from under Shiromaru, going back to the dresser to grab a shirt. “I've tried. I've tried and tried, but you can't shut it off. It doesn't just go away over time.”

“Shirio, you saw what it did to Sakuya...”

“I can't shut myself off to the idea just because of what I do!”

“Shirio... I don't want to see you hurt anymore. How much can you really handle?”

“You can't let what might happen control your life.” Shirio walked past the ninkin, giving him a quick pat on the head without leaving him room to reply. As far as he was concerned, the matter was settled. “I'm going to go buy something for dinner, I'll be back shortly.”

[Sabaku]

Konoha's summer nights were warm and humid, and Kouji still drowsed in a languid comfort as he turned slowly over, not quite willing to open his eyes just yet.

His body ached, but he had become used to that. It was more of a background awareness now, not entirely unpleasant, the same as the buzzing of the cicadas somewhere outside. He let out a soft sigh, comfortable or content, and for a moment that thought was strange - he had never been either of those things, had he?

But that was memory and smoke, caught up in the lingering haze of sleep, and he shook it off as he opened his eyes, pushing his hair away from them. So many years that he'd never realized the kind of weight he carried, and waking from it now felt like dropping it away all over again. He let his eyes open, finally, as he pushed his hair back from them with one hand, only realizing as awareness settled around him that he was laying down. When...? But Shirio had been laying here...

A smile touched at the corners of his lips. That explained everything.

Pushing himself up on one arm, he stretched his back as he swung his legs forward off of the couch. The thought was just a little embarrassing, that he'd let himself fall asleep so easily for Shirio to see, but there was nothing for it now. His hands shoved back through his hair as he rose, fingers pushing the tangles apart; bending to pick up a small band of cloth from the table, he tied it loosely back, giving his head a slight shake to settle it.

Shirio was nowhere in sight. No doubt he was tired from the extended leave; Anbu missions, Kouji had learned early on, rarely left an estimate of time, given the nature of their work, but they had expected no more than three, four days at the outside. Not a week by any stretch.

That was what Anbu meant, though, it seemed. Every mission took longer, every time, he returned a little more worn, a little more beaten. He wanted to ask, wanted to know, but...he knew better. Secrecy was paramount in Shirio's line of work, in what would soon be his own, but even then he held out no hopes of learning any more than necessary to his own missions. That was the life they had chosen for themselves, wasn't it?

Yet it was hard not to remember Shirio's brother, what he'd been told of him, and often he found himself wondering, thinking, late into the night when his thoughts went where they would, unbidden.

But there was no place for that, and he'd learned to push them away. That was what it meant for all shinobi, and he'd known that long before he'd set himself to that path.

The soft sound of voices alerted him that Shirio was in his own room, with Shiromaru by the sound of it. That didn't surprise him; the two were nearly inseparable, and it seemed the bond had only strengthened with the difficulty of the missions they'd taken on together. Kouji turned his steps that way, stifling a yawn.

Shirio was there when he came around the corner, moving out of the doorway, Shiromaru just behind. Kouji stopped short, took a step back. That tone of voice between them wasn't new, though he hadn't quite been able to make out the words; something from the mission? But whatever it was, it was no business of his own, and he set his curiosity aside.

"Welcome home, Shirio." He smiled, slightly, genuinely; he couldn't help himself. "When did you get back?"

[Toboe]

Shirio wasn't paying attention, and for that he almost walked face first into Kouji, but came to an abrupt stop just short. "Oh, hey Kouji. Thanks! It's good to be back." He gave a smile in return for Kouji's, though a bit half baked from his drowsiness.

Shiromaru snorted as he walked back, stomping on Shirio's foot as he made his way around the two to go out into the yard so he can nap some more.

"Got home a few hours ago, I think." He was unsure of the time, it wasn't really a concern of his once he reached the village. Getting home and sleeping was all he could think about.... except for Kouji. He found himself thinking about his friend more and more while he was away. At first it was small things. How was he doing? What was he up to? What is he eating while I eat this bug for dinner? Then over time it built up, and he couldn't help but wonder what it'd be like to sleep next to him at home, to hold him, to just be with him at the given moment. Shirio just brushed it aside at first, blaming home sickness and his usual habit of missing his best friend while away for too long, but it got worse, and his feelings grew stronger.

And now that he was home, after spending several days away sneaking around a hot jungle, he couldn't stop himself from taking a couple of steps forward and pulling Kouji into a firm embrace. To feel him there, to smell and see his presence. It was all comforting. This is what it must have been like for Ashi...

He let go of Kouji, not wanting to make things too weird for his friend, awkwardly stuffing his hands into his pockets and trying to play cool. "S.so. How have things been around here? Has your ANBU training been paying off?"

[Sabaku]

The embrace was unexpected, but not unpleasant, and Kouji smiled as he put his arm around his friend's back in turn. The week Shirio had been gone had felt much longer, without Shirio's boundless enthusiasm to come home to after the long days of training - and he caught himself at that thought, as he let go and stepped back. Home. It really was now, wasn't it...?

He gave himself a mental shake as Shirio went on, shrugging slightly, noncommittal. "Things haven't changed. Konoha is Konoha. Training..." That was a slightly more difficult subject, and he took a small step back, lightly rubbing at his arm with the opposite hand. "I don't know. You know what it's like. No one will tell you how you're doing until it's over."

It was...unnerving, in a way. Kouji had always been confident, sometimes too much so, but it was hard not to feel intimidated under the silent scrutiny of those unmoving masks. There were stories - promising candidates faltering under the pressure, losing their only chance or worse.

Worse didn't scare him. That was the nature of Anbu; he saw it every time Shirio came home, looking a little more worn, his cheer a little more forced. To expect any less from the testing would be naive. They were Konoha's backbone, in some ways, and could ill afford those who would break in the field. "I..." Kouji let his eyes meet Shirio's for a moment, watching him, gauging his expression. "I start the final round of testing in two days. We should know within the week, unless--" Unless it killed him, he thought, unbidden, but he kept his face carefully neutral. "Unless it takes longer."

The last stage of testing was kept under the utmost secrecy, shared only with those who went through it. Maybe it was to keep prospective applicants from shying away, or just to test their reliability with sensitive information; he didn't know, but Shirio had been there, and there was nothing to hide. Protracted combat in unfamiliar terrain against an Anbu operative - perhaps even a team, he wouldn't know until he got there. They were instructed to kill. Anything less would only make a mockery of what they were to face on missions, and Anbu couldn't afford to allow in anyone who couldn't handle those conditions.

Kouji would need focus, not fear, and was grateful to find it absent. This would be no different from his first mission if he made it through, he reasoned, and he was no stranger to working in the field. They faced life-or-death situations nearly every day as shinobi; the only thing he could do now was to prepare himself, keep his focus, prove his worth.

"What about you?" He said it easily, deflecting, offering a small smile. "How did the mission go?"

[Toboe]

Shirio gave Kouji a genuine smile, listening to every word he said, taking in the sound of his voice. “You'll do well, Kouji-kun.” He meant it, though he didn't dare to say more. ANBU tests were brutal, and while Shirio felt that his friend would undoubtedly pass, he worried about the cost. He himself now carried a large scar on his back from a burn he suffered during his final test as a testament to how ruthless the examiners are.

Kouji tried to hide his nervousness about what laid ahead, but it didn't go unnoticed by the Inuzuka. He wished there was something, anything, he could do to calm Kouji's nerves.

“The mission? It went well. Nothing to really report.” Or in other words… it's classified.

Shirio hated that he couldn't talk to Kouji about most of the tasks he's given. Even things that seemed as common place as message delivery were often off the books. Just what was up with that anyway? The volume of covert communication between Konoha and her allied villages had gone up drastically over the past few months.

He opened his mouth to say more, but his stomach beat him to the punch and broke the silence with an unnerving growl, protesting it's empty state. Embarrassed, Shirio laughed, rubbing at the side of his neck. “Guess my stomach is hungry.”

Shirio was always hungry.

“But I don't know what I want to do. Go out and get something, or stay in with my best friend and just eat whats around the house…. Hmmmm, such a tough decision….” He gave Kouji a playful smirk before punching him on the shoulder. “Think I'll stay in with you. I've had enough time out of the house anyway.”