by Sessha Batto
“Yoshi can be very persuasive,” Makoto acknowledged. “If you want to leave don't worry about it. I'll explain it to him.”
“No, I don't want to leave,” Naoto decided, stepping inside and removing his coat. “Besides, it's not like I have any other invitations for the evening. It will be nice not to be alone.”
“Ahhh, so that's what it is,” the interrogator muttered. “Would you like a drink, Kikuchi-san?”
“Sake would be wonderful,” the poison expert decided after a moment's thought. “And please, call me Naoto. I keep thinking my father is here.”
The interrogator laughed at the rueful expression on the younger man's face, a deep rumbling sound that sent shivers racing up Naoto's spine. “Maybe I should go check on Yoshi,” the Kikuchi heir suggested. “He probably needs a hand.”
“Why are you so nervous?” Makoto leaned in to pin the younger man with a piercing glare.
“Dinner's ready. Everyone come take a seat,” the shadow wolf yelled as he exited the kitchen with a platter in hand. “Stop looming and give me a hand, Makoto.”
“What are you up to?” the interrogator husked.
“Just trying to fill up my days,” the elite explained. “I'm not used to so much free time.”
“Go talk to Shuhan-sama,” Naoto suggested. “He's always willing to give out work.”
“You sound like you're speaking from experience,” Makoto noted with a chuckle.
“Our squad stays pretty busy,” he admitted. “Although I think that's more to keep us out of trouble than anything else. Shuhan-sama is well aware of how dangerous a bored shinobi can be.”
“I'm afraid the shuudan has relieved me from duty,” Yoshi said with a sigh. “I suppose I need to find something else to do with myself.”
“Why do you need to do anything?” The interrogator watched the elite with guarded eyes. “It's not like you need the money.”
“I'm bored,” the shadow wolf retorted. “I have no clue what to do with myself all day.”
“Naoto was just telling me about his last assignment,” Makoto rumbled. “Apparently you were right about the Koga.”
“I told you, I can smell it,” Yoshi groaned. “Why do you think I avoid them?”
“Have you ever considered covert operations?” the interrogator asked Naoto. “Your work with poisons would be a huge advantage, and you wouldn't be dragged off into the field all the time.”
The Kikuchi heir laughed, an open, delighted sound. “If you're offering me a job, then yes, I'll take it,” he decided with a broad smile. “It will be nice to spend more time at home, and with you, Sasaki-san.”
“Call me Makoto,” the interrogator husked. “No need to be so formal.”
“Excuse me.” The shadow wolf headed for the kitchen in an attempt to reign in his traitorous emotions. You wanted this. You can't be jealous that it seems to be working out.
As soon as Yoshi left the room the pair began to giggle like schoolboys. “Did you see his face?” the usually stoic Naoto chuckled.
“He deserves it,” Makoto declared. “I can't believe he thought he could get away with something like this. I'm sorry if you're disappointed.”
“Well, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested,” the younger man mumbled as he studied the dust under his feet.
“I'm flattered.” The interrogator smiled when Naoto's head shot up in surprise. “What, you thought I was emotionless?”
“No. No one's ever appreciated my attentions before,” the Kikuchi admitted. “It's nice.”
“I meant what I said about the job,” Makoto said. “I think you'd be good at it.”
“I'll come by tomorrow and we can discuss it. I shouldn't make any hasty decisions.”
Just then Yoshi reappeared, a large tray of pastries in his hands. “I thought we could eat dessert in the lounge,” he suggested, although the furious ki whipping around him belied his relaxed appearance.
Good, Makoto thought. Serves him right for trying to duck out on me like that. “I'll have coffee. What would you like, Naoto?”
“Coffee sounds great.”
“Thanks, 'shi-san. Let me show you the way, Naoto,” he offered with a smile, ignoring the dark look aimed at their backs.
****
Makoto made a show of seeing Naoto off at the end of the evening. He stepped outside with the younger man and shut the door behind him as he reached out with his ki to judge the shadow wolf's mood.
“He's about ready to implode,” the interrogator said with a wicked smirk. “Let's see how long he can keep this up.”
“You know sooner or later he'll figure out this is all a ruse, don't you?” the poisons expert asked.
“As long as he learns his lesson. Are you sure this is okay with you?”
“I have nothing better to do.” Naoto shrugged. “I might as well help someone find happiness.”
“You know, Yoshi really is good at matching people up. When he's done being pissy you should have him find someone for you. You really are a nice guy.”
“Thank you.” the poisons expert replied with an audible gulp. “So are you. I don't know if I'd go as far as Takahashi-san and call you sweet.”
“He called me sweet?” The usually intimidating torture master's face lit up as he searched the younger man for traces of deception.
“Let's just say if you ever find yourself at loose ends I'd definitely be interested.” The Kikuchi heir slipped his coat back on and headed toward his family's compound, a lingering smile on his face.
Makoto turned back into the house... only to come face to face with a glowering shadow wolf. “Is something wrong?” he asked innocently, calling all his skills at subterfuge into play in order to maintain his ruse.
“It took you an awfully long time just to say goodbye, didn't it?” the elite hissed. “I knew you'd get tired of me sooner or later, but I didn't expect you to leap into bed with someone the first chance you got.”
“I stood on the engawa and said goodnight, to the guest you invited, I might add,” Makoto retorted. “That's hardly leaping into bed.”
“But you admit you wanted to.” Yoshi moved closer, sensitive nose seeking traces of the other man's scent on the interrogator. “I told you, I can smell it.”
“What you smell is how badly I want you, just you, no one else. Your jealousy turns me on.”
“I am not jealous,” the shadow wolf retorted with a sniff. “I just don't want to see it, that's all. I wanted you to like him just... maybe not so much, so quickly.”
“Tell the truth, sweetheart. You don't want me to like him at all, now do you?” Makoto practically purred, eyes narrowing as he observed the nearly imperceptible tightening of the elite's muscles.
“Of course I want you to like him. I wouldn't have asked him here if I didn't think you would get along. It's just—”
“Just what sweetheart?” The interrogator pressed up against the shadow wolf's back, wrapping his arms tightly around the lanky man to prevent his escape.
“Why didn't you offer me a job working with you?”
“Huh?” Makoto grunted in surprise. “That's what's bothering you? I didn't mean anything by it. It's not particularly pleasant work, especially considering your history. I just assumed it wouldn't appeal to you.”
“My training with Oonishi-sama would be an asset for interrogations, would it not?”
“I don't want to see you hurt anymore,” Makoto explained. “Sooner or later you'd have to question someone you didn't think deserved it, or someone you felt close to. I couldn't do that to you.”
“But you can do it to Naoto?” Yoshi pressed.
“I love you, sweetheart. Naoto's a nice enough guy, but I don't love him, I love you. That's why it matters, that's why it makes a difference. Now do you understand?”
“It's not a good idea,” the elite muttered.
“What's not a good idea?” Makoto prodded. “You might as well tell me. I'll get it out of you sooner or later.”
; “Loving me, it's not a good idea,” Yoshi insisted. “I'm going to go soak for a while. Don't wait up for me.” Makoto frowned as he listened to the sound of water running in the bathhouse while the shadow wolf scrubbed before slipping into the expansive tub to soak.
Shit, that's not what I wanted, the interrogator berated himself. He was just supposed to realize he was jealous, not hate himself even more. Makoto debated whether he should join his lover, perhaps convince him to talk about what was really troubling him. In the end he decided he had already pushed the formidable ninja to the breaking point. He had no desire to see him shatter.
“I'm sorry, sweetheart,” Makoto whispered outside the bathhouse door. “Don't stay in too long.”
A petty part of the shadow wolf's brain cheered the fact that the interrogator was visibly upset by their confrontation. As much as he tried to deny it though, Yoshi had to accept the fact that his feelings ran surprisingly deep. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I need to steer Naoto in another direction, but then what do I do about Makoto? He continued to lounge in the steaming water as he struggled to come up with a solution to his dilemma. Eventually he gave up and headed back into the house, slipping soundlessly into bed beside the too still interrogator and shutting his eyes before falling into a light, troubled sleep.
Early the next morning the reluctant elite was nudged out of bed by the sunlight falling on his face. He rose and dressed, grumbling the entire time, and made his way into the kitchen in search of coffee.
“Why did you leave the curtains open?” he hissed. “You know I can't sleep with the sun on my face.”
“Someone's awfully touchy this morning,” Makoto noted. “Have trouble sleeping last night?”
“Why are you up so early anyway?” the shadow wolf groused. “Can't wait to leave me?”
“No, not at all. Would you like me to stay home today?”
“No, of course not,” Yoshi retorted. “What's wrong with you?”
“Nothing's wrong with me, I just have a very full schedule today. Plus, I have Naoto coming in to talk about joining covert ops. I'll probably be late getting home tonight.”
“Feed yourself then,” the shadow wolf snapped. “I'm going over to visit Mayu. I promised to stop by today.”
“No need to get so pissy, sweetheart,” Makoto soothed. ”It's just a job. It's not like we're moving in together. Why don't you come by and meet me for lunch. We'll go somewhere we can talk, just the two of us. How does that sound?”
“I'm not a woman, you don't need to coddle me,” came the icy reply. “I'll see if I'm free when the time comes.”
“You know where my office is.” Makoto shrugged. “I'll be there all day.” With those, meant to be encouraging, words he leaned over, gave the shadow wolf a swift kiss and headed out.
****
Yoshi stubbornly tried to convince himself not to meet Makoto for lunch, repeating over and over in his head all the reasons why spending more time together was a bad idea. Still, as the clock struck one he found himself casually strolling into reception and asking for the interrogator, feigning indifference when Makoto finally appeared.
“I was right around the corner, so I decided I might as well stop,” he offered by way of explanation.
“Great, let me grab my coat,” Makoto said. “I have somewhere I want to take you.”
“I don't have long,” Yoshi insisted. “I promised Mayu I'd be by this afternoon.”
“It won't take long.” The interrogator linked arms with the shadow wolf and headed toward the center of town.
After fifteen minutes of seemingly aimless wandering they came to a stop on a busy side street, right outside a shop with the door set facing the corner. “I don't see anywhere to eat,” Yoshi said. “What are you up to?”
“This is it, right here.” The interrogator pulled the door open and stepped inside with the elite trailing behind him.
“What the hell is going on?” Yoshi demanded when he realized they were in what appeared to be an empty building.
“This is my surprise,” Makoto explained. “Shut your eyes for a minute.”
Ever so slowly the lids fell over piercing grey and its companion eerie red. “You can look now,” the interrogator whispered. The lids slowly rose, leaving the shadow wolf to gaze dumbstruck at the object in Makoto's hands.
“You said you wanted something to do.” The interrogator barely suppressed the urge to bolt.
“I don't understand,” Yoshi muttered, gaze shifting from Makoto's worried face to the sign in his hands that read Rare and Exotic Booksellers, Takahashi Yoshi proprietor. “What have you done?”
“You love books and I knew you were bored, so I thought—” the interrogator trailed off helplessly, unable to explain why he had taken it upon himself to make such a huge decision for the other man. “I'm sorry, I shouldn't have presumed.”
“It's wonderful,” the elite assured him. “I can't believe you'd do something like this for me.”
“So you like the idea? You're not mad?”
“I think it's perfect,” Yoshi replied with a broad, genuinely happy, smile. “I don't know how to thank you.”
“Seeing you smile again is thanks enough. I was worried you'd be angry with me for meddling.”
“No one's ever done anything like this for me,” the shadow wolf explained as his keen eye began to avidly explore his new space. “But what about you?”
“What about me, sweetheart?”
“Why isn't your name on here. After all, it was your idea. You aren't going to want to torture people forever,” Yoshi teased. “Sooner or later the luster will fade and you'll want something more exciting to do with your life.”
“Like sell books with you?” the interrogator asked.
“I make everything an adventure.”
“I love adventure.” The interrogator yanked the lanky man into his arms, kissing him passionately. Makoto's heart leapt when the often reluctant elite returned the kiss just as fervently, letting out a throaty whimper that went straight to his groin.
“I'll make you a deal,” Makoto murmured when they were pulled apart by the need to breathe. “When I'm ready to retire, if you still want me, then of course I'd love to do this with you. Hell, I like cleaning the bathroom when I do it with you.”
“Now that's going a bit too far, don't you think?” the shadow wolf said with a snort. “Why do I picture myself in a maid's outfit scrubbing the floor while you 'supervise'?”
That image pulled a chuckle from the stoic interrogator, which built to a throaty laugh. Eventually it morphed into gales of nearly hysterical giggles, fueled, at least in part, by the relief he felt when Yoshi accepted his gift.
It took several tries and a fair amount of time before the pair was finally able to look at each other without prompting another bout of laughter. “Time's wasting,” Makoto managed. “Let's get you fed so you can go visit your gal pal.”
“I feel like I should be insulted by that,” Yoshi decided. “But I'm not sure why.”
“I certainly didn't mean to insult you,” Makoto hastened to assure him. “Tease you a bit, maybe, but I guess the unflappable shadow wolf doesn't do teasing.”
“Oh, I do teasing alright. It's just that usually I'm the teaser,” Yoshi shot back with a smile. “Just you wait and see.”
****
It was late in the afternoon by the time Yoshi managed to break away, insisting that he would see Makoto at home and that he needed to go visit Mayu. “Otherwise you know she'll come track me down at the worst possible time.”
“Go, get all that chitchat out of your system,” the interrogator chuckled. “I'll finish up and see you at home.”
“Is it alright if I tell her?” the shadow wolf asked, tilting his head quizzically as he waited for an answer.
“Tell her what sweetheart?”
“About the bookstore,” Yoshi explained. “I don't have to tell her if you don't want me to.”
“Of course you can tell people. Ever
yone's going to know when you open for business.”
“Thank you.” Yoshi flung his arms around the larger man and squeezed tightly. “You are so very good to me.”
“That's because I love you, sweetheart. It's easy being good to you,” the interrogator said with a smile. “Now go see your girlfriend. You can tell me all about her reaction over dinner.”
“I thought you were going to be late?” the elite retorted.
“I changed my mind.” Makoto planted a kiss on a pale cheek and disappeared into headquarters, anxious to wrap up his work and head home.
The shadow wolf meandered through the village, not really thinking about the path his feet were taking as he wended his way towards Tatsuya and Mayu's. When he arrived at the unassuming house he looked around, making sure he wasn't being observed before knocking.
“Yoshi, come in,” Mayu exclaimed. “I'm glad you're here. We have things to discuss.”
“I have something to tell you. If you're interested.”
“Of course I'm interested.”
“I don't know, it's kind of important,” the shadow wolf teased. “Maybe I shouldn't tell you. Too much shock in one day can be dangerous.”
“Takahashi,” Mayu growled. “Spit it out.”
“Makoto gave me something,” the elite hedged. “Something big.”
“A house,” the kunoichi guessed. “No, you have one of those. A vacation. No, you aren't working. I don't know, you have to tell me.”
“He bought me something to do. I'm the new rare and exotic book dealer here in the village. At least, I have the shop and the sign. There's a lot of work to do before I can open for business. Still, it feels good having a purpose again.”
“What do you mean?” Mayu asked. “Why didn't you have a purpose?”
“I am no longer shinobi,” the shadow wolf explained. “That has always been my purpose, at least, as far back as I can remember. When I was relieved from duty I found myself at loose ends. There was nothing to aspire to, no challenges to meet, no purpose for my existence.”
“Oh you silly—” Mayu shook her head. “What am I going to do with you? The purpose of your existence, oh-mighty-genius, is simply to be happy.”
