[open]

[coughcoughshank.livejournal.com]

[From the looks of it, Souji has just finished some practice - the bokuto are put away neatly, but he hasn't bothered getting changed yet. He's sitting out on the porch, still wearing his hakama and gi, hair tied up off his neck. He fans himself with one hand - it's a bit hot today for training, but he didn't want to waste a string of good days just because the weather was uncooperative.

Come bother him?]

Comments

[notpissedoff]

[Although Souji hides it, Susumu has a feeling he's being laughed at behind that hand, and he glances back at the other with a frown. It's bad enough he was caught off guard - he doesn't need it to be a source of amusement.]

[But then Souji thanks him, and Susumu just closes his eyes and sighs. There's no point in acting offended when he really isn't (at least not much). One corner of his mouth turns up slightly then, in the barest hint of a smirk.]

...Unless he asks me directly, in which case I will not lie to him.

[coughcoughshank.livejournal.com]

[Trust a ninja to play dirty. Susumu gets the full-on puppy dog eyes pout.]

Yamazaki-kuuuuun~

[notpissedoff]

[Ninjas are immune to puppy dog eyes, of course. Mostly. Souji just gets a slightly-raised eyebrow in return.]

You'd rather I lie to my master?

[...Okay, that was probably a dumb question, and Susumu realizes it as soon as the words are out of his mouth. He suspects that Souji would prefer for him to lie, at least sometimes. But that won't be happening - Susumu's loyalty lies with Hijikata-san first and foremost.]

[That doesn't mean he always needs to tell the man the whole truth, of course...]

[coughcoughshank.livejournal.com]

[The pout is still there. /Someone/ is acting like a bratty twelve-year-old again.]

Mou...you don't have to lie to him. Just...don't tell him everything.

[And beneath the bratty kid voice, there is the genuine desire to keep Toushizou from worrying over him, when he can't do anything about Souji's illness.]

[notpissedoff]

[Susumu firmly resists the urge to roll his eyes. Despite appearances, Souji is the superior officer here, after all. Instead, he reiterates what he just said.]

Unless he asks me directly.

[Yes, he's stubborn enough to keep this up all day. Of course, he'd rather not have to... so Souji's getting just a hint of a Look again. Susumu knows that he doesn't want anyone fussing over him, and can appreciate that. Still, it's the Vice Commander they're talking about. It's a large part of Susumu's job to tell him things.]

That's the most I can offer, Okita-san.

[coughcoughshank.livejournal.com]

[The pout stays a little longer before he finally gives it up with a small shrug of his shoulders.]

Ah, I guess that's good enough~

[notpissedoff]

[...And count on Souji to go from pouting to seemingly content with no in-between. Susumu just sighs. He's sure he'll never figure this man out.]

...Good.