The Dark in a Little More Light

[Amy]

"Almost there," Tsubaki breathed heavily as they came upon a clearly well traveled road. The weather had stayed steady that morning, the sun now beaming down on them from above. That gentle wind still teased through the air, a mere whisper of what it had been the day before during the storm. The destruction had lessened the further they traveled, making it clear they were heading out of the path that the storm had taken. A quiet worry that the town they were heading towards had been destroyed by the storm had been nagging at her. She had kept those worries to herself though, afraid that speaking them into the universe may create a new truth. Tsubaki wasn’t usually one for superstitions but she was not taking any chances when her dinner was on the line.

The thought of a hot meal and a hot bath had been the only things motivating Tsubaki to keep going. Despite their brief respite in the cave at the tail end of the storm exhaustion still dragged her down. She had been glad before but was even more glad now that she and Tousha had grown closer through their ordeal. She didn’t know if she could have made it as far as they had if that tension had still existed between them. Now, at least, she could breathe a little easier.

“Should be a pretty nice size town,” she said as they started passing people on the road, travelers like them but also merchants with larger carts full of sealed crates and sacks of food. There was something oddly comforting about being surrounded by people living their own lives. Doing their own things, working through their own problems, none of them having any idea what was going on with you. “What do you want to do first?”

[Toshi]

"If I don't find a bath I'm going to die," Tousha shot back, looking deeply unamused with walking through the wilderness for a lifetime. His expression was grim, his clothes were filthy, his shoes were gone because a raccoon stole them, and there were small twigs littering his long, unkempt hair. The Vagabond looked more woodland scenery than man as he trudged next to Tsubaki, his stare hollow and distant.

A man driving an oxen cart leveled an uneasy look at the state of Tousha as he rode past. The ox didn't look impressed either.

The sound of Tousha's grumbling stomach drowned out the retreating cart's squeaky wheels, practically rattling the Shinobi's teeth as hunger wracked his body. "I'm going to die, Tsubaki. I'm going to die unwashed, unfed, and unshoe'd. Just like the old gypsy woman said," he droned on, his voice flat and dry.

[Amy]

A lopsided grin brightened Tsubaki’s face as she looked Tousha up and down. “I think you might look worse than when you poisoned yourself. But at least you only look it this time.” She offered the last bit in an attempt to placate the depressed looking man. Looking down at herself though, Tsubaki had to accept that she wasn’t looking much better. Her shirt and pants were both in need of a needle and thread and a good wash. Running through the rain and mud had coated both the front and back of both garments and sleeping on the dirt floor of the cave had only further caked it in. She had dutifully been ignoring the fact that her clothes felt more like paper than cloth but it was becoming more difficult with every step. It didn’t help that everyone who passed them looked down their noses at them. But could they be blamed? She and Tousha looked like a couple of vagrants about to cause trouble in their presumably peaceful town. So, despite her intense hunger for ramen, she had to admit that Tousha had a point.

“I guess a bath first would be wise. I’m not even sure any shops would let us sit at their bar,” she said, rubbing her arm and watching the dirt and debris drift to the ground as if to make a point. “But we’ll have to be fast or we’ll die clean but hungry.”

Tsubaki glanced sideways as Tousha, looking for just a moment longer than could be called brief. It had been a difficult day for her, the urge to withdraw ever there but having to now fight it. It was easier than she expected but still harder than it should be. It helped that she actually did find Tousha to be amusing, at least when he wasn’t asking her about feces. But the entire situation was new and Tsubaki couldn’t deny the fear that existed. That she would mess everything up, in some way. Somehow. It would never be with intention but sorrow followed her like a bad dream and always found a way to touch those who surrounded her. And she couldn’t bear the thought of burdening the kind man more than he already was.

The judgemental eyes surrounding them only increased when they finally reached the gates of the town. The glances weren’t long but Tsubaki felt each and every one of them. Her chest ached with the effort it took to keep her breathing even but she couldn’t help the way her eyes drifted to the ground. The way her hands clenched and unclenched. If there was one thing that Tsubaki hated, it was drawing attention to herself. And unfortunately, the duo was drawing a lot of it. “Let’s find a place fast,” was all she said as they joined the throngs of people on the street, her voice noticeably more tense than it had been all day.

[Toshi]

Tousha shot a glance down at himself at Tsubaki's critique of his appearance. The aging Shinobi opened his mouth to attempt a passable defense, shut it, looked down at his bare, plodding, dirty feet, raised a finger, and said, "You're not wrong but that doesn't mean my feelings aren't hurt, young lady."

The lurching Vagabond remained quiet and simply nodded along in agreement as they approached the village proper. It was a pretty standard affair, though the sheer amount of people surprised Tousha. Either this place was either smack dab in the middle of a popular trade route or there was some kind of event being held here or in another nearby village. Regardless, Tousha had seen far more people in far smaller places, and probably in worse shape, so he barely registered the stray looks.

A particularly huffy looking couple went so far as to hold their noses as they passed by the pair of weather worn Shinobi under the town's gate, which got Tousha's eye twitching. The left one this time. But the Vagabond's expression softened when he noticed Tsubaki was growing tense and uncomfortable under the villagers' stares. It was her hands. They hadn't been traveling together long, but whenever the Kunoichi was tense and nervous she couldn't keep herself from clenching and unclenching her fists.

An ember of anger welled up in the Shinobi's chest, but he allowed it so stay at a simmer. Getting upset would only draw more unwanted attention to the young woman and himself.

Chancing a step deeper into their still tenuous friendship, Tousha placed a gentle hand on the Kunoichi's shoulder. "Hey," he started carefully, "It's just you and me. Everyone else can kick rocks. Okay?" Then he let a little mock rage sharpen his eyes as he added, "And if you want I'll burn this whole place down until they leave you be."

[Amy]

Tsubaki’s eyes flicked over to meet Tousha’s when he laid his hand on her shoulder. It was with great restraint that she didn’t pull away or smack his hand off of her shoulder. She knew that it came from a place of wanting to comfort her and she did her best to take it that way. So, after holding his gaze for a moment, she turned her eyes forwards so she didn’t accidentally bump into anyone and offend them further. But, she let his hand stay where it was balanced on her shoulder. Even if there was minimal comfort to be found in the gesture, she appreciated the reminder that she was not currently alone. It was his words that made her chuckle slightly, a smile threatening to turn her downturned mouth rightside up.

“As much as I like the thought of that, I’m not sure that I prefer fear over disgust.” And it was, in fact, the disgust on people’s faces that truly bothered Tsubaki more than anything. She knew that she smelled and she didn’t blame people for not wanting to share in that with her. And she also knew that she was so dirty that accidentally bumping into her would transfer more dirt than could be brushed off so she didn’t blame them for giving the two a wide berth. But it was the look in their eyes that caused the tension in her body. The look that suggested they knew all of the horrible things she had done in life, all of the horrible things that she had been through. It was not logical but fear rarely was.

But maybe, she forced herself to focus, she could ignore that. Just for now. Just until they were clean and blended in a little better. “So,” she finally said after taking a large shaky breath, blowing it out heavily. “I…” She glanced back up at Tousha, a slightly more sincere smile on her face this time when she couldn’t think of anything to talk about. “I’m sorry. I’m really not good at this. I have no idea what people say when they’re casually walking down the street looking like a couple of hoodlums.” She was trying so hard and it felt so useless. The only time she seemed to be able to act normally was when someone was injured. But, Tousha had been patient with her so far and she could only hope that he would continue to give her space while also giving her small amounts of encouragement.

“Should we keep searching or try asking someone? I’m surprised no one has just told us where the baths are without us having to ask.”

[Toshi]

With a kind smile and what he hoped was a comforting pat on the shoulder, Tousha said, "You're doing fine, Tsubaki. As someone with a lot of experience with looking weird and disheveled in public, you're wearing it a lot better than I ever have." With that he gave the Kunoichi some space and pulled his hand away, sensing that this wasn't the time or place to test the boundaries of their developing amiability.

Just like all things worth having, maintaining Tsubaki's trust would take time and it probably wouldn't be easy. Tousha had to keep reminding himself.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" Tousha asked a genial looking woman selling a variety of fruits, the Vagabond's hands clasped together as a sign of respect. "Could you please direct us to the bathhouse? Much like your wares my companion and I find ourselves on the ripe side."

The merchant fanned herself and bashfully turned her gaze from Tousha, but helpfully pointed in the direction they had already been heading. Tousha peered down the street and noticed an angular, curving roof layered with clay tiles. Upon further inspection he noticed a tall, billowing plume of steam coming from the back side of the building. Tousha turned back to the woman and bowed deeply, thanking her several times before continuing down the road next to Tsubaki.

"Right there," Tousha said, pointing at the fourth building to their left. "Looks like a Sentō," Tousha added, curiosity touching his tone. "Haven't seen one of those in over a decade, I think. Have you ever been to one?"

[Amy]

Tsubaki stood in front of the bath house, her face void of expression. The conversation that led them here replayed time and time again in her mind.

”Several times,” Tsubaki had assured Tousha confidently as they walked the short distance to the building. He must have been worried that she would be nervous about being around other people in what some might call a vulnerable state. But bath houses weren’t like that. No one wanted to be labeled a creep or a perv. She was feeling very confident, just happy to finally be clean and dry again.

“Miss?”

And now it was all ruined.

“Miss?”

She had told Shirai once that she was sure she was cursed. He had laughed it off but there was no more doubt about it for her.

“Excuse me, Miss.”

Tsubaki blinked slowly, realizing that a woman stood in front of her. That she was talking to her. “Yes?”

“Would you and your companion like to enter?”

“Are there any…other bath houses here?”

The woman shook her head, the smallest look of understanding entering her eyes. “Unfortunately not, Miss. This is the only one. Would yo-”

“Yes, Tsubaki sighed, her entire body deflating. “For both of us please.” Tsubaki dropped the few ryo into the woman’s hand before entering the one door to the building. The one door that led to the one dressing room. The one dressing room which led to the one washing room which led to the one bathing room. Because of course this town only had one mixed gender public bath house.

“This isn’t awkward at all,” Tsubaki angrily muttered to herself as she tossed the pack she was carrying into one of the cubbies, kicking off her shoes next and storing them as well. She knew Tousha was nearby, She knew he had followed her in but she couldn’t look at him. Public bath houses were fine when it was all one gender. Tsubaki had even been to a mixed gender bath house once before but it had just been her and a bunch of strangers she never saw again.

She took a deep breath, struggling to hold back the tears of frustration that she wanted to cry. It’s just one more thing, she told herself as she slowly began peeling off her clothes, never glancing away from the cubby. One more thing to survive. She had made it this far. Some casual nudity wasn’t going to stop her now.

After her clothes were bundled in the cubby, set aside in dire need of washing before being worn again, she took several deep breaths. She was not ashamed of her body, that wasn’t the issue at all. The issue was that she could barely talk to Tousha when both of them were clothed. She didn’t think this was going to be any easier.

“I’m going to start washing off,” she said quietly, grabbing one of the bathing kits against the wall. “See…see you in there.”

Tsubaki collapsed on the stool in the next room, dropping her head into her hands.

She was so tired.

[Toshi]

Say one thing about Tousha, say that he was having a difficult time deciding if this was tragic or funny.

If they weren't in such dire need of a good washing Tousha would put money on Tsubaki choosing to run headlong back into that storm than join him in the bathhouse. In fact, the Vagabond opened his mouth to offer to let Tsubaki go in first and just wait outside until she was finished but before he could the Kunoichi had already paid for both of them. Without a word, and definitely without any more pats on the shoulder, Tousha followed her into the bathhouse with a bemused smile.

Tousha stripped off his own clothes, facing the opposite wall from where Tsubaki was muttering angrily to herself. "Just keep thinking about the ramen. The steaming hot, succulent… Okay, maybe don't think about the ramen," the Vagabond said under his breath. "It's fine, it's fine. A little scrubby dubby, a little washy washy, and we're out of here. Easy. Barely an inconvenience."

The Vagabond simply nodded and gave a back-turned thumbs up as Tsubaki made her way into the bathing chamber. Then he grabbed his own bathing kit and sighed, still staring at the floor. He was about to march confidently out of the dressing room when an idea stopped him. A very good idea, if you asked him. The undressed man grinned smugly as he channeled chakra into his own shadow, causing a streak of darkness to run up his body.

"Oh, but I am good," he said, the camera conveniently cutting off the top part of his face.

A few moments later, everyone would watch a grown man wearing shadow sunglasses so dark he couldn't possibly see out of them hobble and wobble his way out of the dressing room. He stayed in a stable yet ridiculous squatting stance as he used his feet to probe where the edge of the bathing pool could possibly be. "Just... A little further... Where are youuuu?" he asked no one, trying to be quiet but failing to not draw further attention to himself.

With a loud yelp that echoed through the bathing house for entirely too long, his foot fell way from the cool, ceramic tile and straight into the bathing pool. Several women and an older man retreated in confusion from that entire half of the pool while Tousha, having valiantly recovered from that feeling of thinking that there's a step but then there isn't, settled into the steaming hot water with a pleased sigh.

Jutsu usedShow

Shadow Shades
D-rank Ninjutsu
After completing a string of hand seals or utilizing advanced channeling the user will infuse any shadows on his person with chakra. These shadows will form along the user's eyes at a Speed and Strength up to the user's Control, effectively blocking any harsh light from affecting the user. This jutsu will remain in effect for up to 4 posts or as long as the user is infusing chakra into his shadow.

[Amy]

She just assumed he was being…himself, when he walked into the bathing chamber. He had always been a little off since the first day she met him and even though they hadn’t been getting along that well until just recently she had started to grow used to his own special brand of weird. So when he walked in muttering to himself she rightfully assumed he was trying to keep his eyes mostly closed or something so that she would feel less awkward about the entire situation. She kept her own head down and her eyes closed, planning to wait until he was sitting to start washing the grime off of her body just so that she could be one hundred percent positive that she did not open her eyes to something that she would never be able to forget.

It was unfortunate that while preserving the sanctity of her mind the sanctity of the bathing pool came into question. She didn’t even need to open her eyes to know exactly what happened. Her footsteps were silent on the floor, even the water seeming to disperse from her path. There was a smile on her face but there didn’t seem to be any joy in it, a great strain showing on her face.

“Oh, Tousha, she said quietly, each word clipped. “You’re making things worse.” She wrapped her hand around his arm and dragged him out of the pool, pushing him not so gently towards the stool. Tsubaki turned back to the other bathers, giving them a bow and a quick apology. “I understand what you’re doing. And I really appreciate it.” Her voice was much softer now. “But it’s not necessary. Sit and take the shadows off. I’ll be okay.”

“Here, wash first. I assumed you had been to one before when you asked me.” She pushed another large bucket of water towards him so that he could also wash the dirt and grime off of his body before climbing into the slightly less clean pool. She quieted as she focused on washing herself, starting with her hair and washing it twice before it felt clean. Slowly, she washed down her body, breathing a sigh of relief with every layer of dirt that was washed down the drain. With the steam in the room and the sweet smell of body soaps the entire thing was rather therapeutic and relaxing, easing away the anxiety she had initially felt.

[Toshi]

Tousha allowed himself to be corralled away from the soaking pool, barely managing to keep his footing and sliding on his heels at Tsubaki's efforts. The Vagabond's rear end found the wooden stool as Tsubaki's voice softened, explaining that he didn't need to worry about her. He frowned at that, his shoulders slumping a little as he allowed the shadows covering his eyes to dissipate in the light. Still feeling the need to respect the young woman's privacy, Tousha turned around in the stool so that he wasn't looking directly at her.

"Yes, ma'am," he mumbled weakly as Tsubaki offered him the bucket of water. Looking rather crestfallen, Tousha began wiping his wilderness weary body clean. He would remain quiet for a while, focusing on scrubbing every inch as to not track any stray dirt, muck, or grime into the soaking pool this time around. The Shinobi's eyes would remain fixed forward on the nearby wall or closed, especially when he rinsed out his long, black hair.

Finally he said, "I'm sorry, Tsubaki." Tousha remained facing away from her, scrubbing at his left leg almost absent mindedly. It was apparent that the vagabond felt guilty for the stunt he'd pulled earlier. He didn't look unlike a sopping wet, hairy dog that was ashamed for tracking mud into the house. "I didn't mean to make things worse."

[Amy]

Tsubaki sighed lightly at his dejected words. She still had so much to learn about Tousha, even on the surface. Having been living with a large bandit crew that was composed entirely of men except for her, Tsubaki did a lot of scolding. She scolded the men often for not washing the dishes correctly, not cooking the food correctly, unwashed clothes, unwashed hair, the list went on and on. And that didn’t even cover all of the medical reasons she scolded them. Loose bandages, picking at stitches, playing with knives, playing with literal and figurative fire, and again the list went on and on. They all listened to her scolding but not a single one took it for anything other than what it truly was - concern. Concern for her family’s health, safety, and well-being. As a medic Tsubaki helped a lot of people but she did not follow and fuss at them afterwards. That was something she only did for people she let inside her heart. But the man beside her seemed to truly take it to heart

It seemed, Tousha still had a lot to learn about her too.

She glanced to the side to see that Tousha had turned his back to her. Still trying to make her more comfortable. However, it did allow her to see that he had missed most of his back during his washing. She stared for a moment, her eyes glancing around the scars that littered his back. The dirt and mud that was a result of their misadventure together. And she stared at the sadness in his shoulders, the way they hunched over just a little bit more than necessary. With another small sigh she turned her body towards him, grabbing another sponge from the bucket he had been using.

“I’ll help you,” she said. Without giving him a chance to ask, forcing her to explain, she placed the sponge against his back and began washing it. She did so silently, slowly, with great care to watch for any injuries neither of them knew about. Under all of the grime there was certainly the chance of an unnoticed injury but she was happy to see after a short amount of time that there was nothing to worry about. Even after his back was clean she continued to wash it, wanting to do something but not knowing if she could. It seemed like it would be important. And that it would mean a lot, not only to him, but also to her too. With a deep breath she put the sponge back in his own bucket and spun around so that they were back to back.

“Can you check mine? I think I got it all but…just in case.”

She wrinkled her nose in an attempt to control her emotions. A deep, steady breath to stay calm. This was very normal bath house behavior, she told herself. Everyone always helped each other. And it was okay, even for her, to accept help sometimes.

[Toshi]

The Vagabond's back straightened as Tsubaki pressed a warm, soapy sponge to his back and started scrubbing. "Oh... Thanks," he said, still keeping his eyes on the wall. Tousha's shoulders straightened as well, hoping that his posture would make the Kunoichi's efforts easier. Even through a sodden sponge, he could feel the young woman's attentiveness and care for his wellbeing. This kind of attention was earned, not freely handed out to just anyone, and Tousha couldn't help but feel a pang of affection for Tsubaki as she scrubbed away the grime from his efforts to deliver her to this village safely.

When she had finished, his entire back methodically cleaned with the attention to detail befitting a medical ninja, Tsubaki returned to her own stool and asked for him to return the favor. Without a word the Vagabond dipped a sponge in the warm, soapy water nestled between them, wrung it out a little, and kneeled behind his traveling companion.

"Missed a few spots," he said quietly, trying to show Tsubaki the same care and respect she had shown him. Tousha gently scrubbed away at the patches where the Kunoichi had passed over with soap and water once but still had stubborn dirt clinging to her skin. The seasoned Shinobi couldn't help but notice the contrast between his scarred, pale hand against the Kunoichi's tanned, near unblemished skin. He made sure not to touch her with that hand, suddenly embarrassed by the disparity between them.

Still, Tousha finished cleaning her as well as he could, and returned the sponge to the bucket. "You're all good," he said, returning to his stool and slipping a hair tie from his wrist. With his back still turned to Tsubaki, the pale skinned man tied his hair into a familiar loose ponytail and wiped away some moisture from his face.

"We ready for the pool?" he asked, hoping to bring some levity into his tone.

[Amy]

It was with great discipline and many half moon indents in her palms that Tusbaki did not jump or startle at the feel of the sponge. As expected, Tousha was incredibly gentle and after a few moments of tenseness she was able to breathe a little easier. She didn’t speak while he worked though, instead contemplating why she was so willing to try so hard with Tousha. He was certainly not the first person that she had met during her travels who tried to tear down some of her walls. People had always liked her, been drawn to her, and it had been causing her problems her entire life. Since even her academy days. Despite that, she felt little guilt locking everyone out.

Except for now. For some reason, it felt personal every time she tried to shut Tousha out. It didn’t feel so much like protecting herself as it felt like hurting him. And almost more than anything else, Tsubaki hated to hurt people. Her entire life had been dedicated to lessening hurt so to be the cause of it was nearly unbearable for her. So, for Tousha, she would push herself.

“Yes,” she replied, a newfound confidence in her voice. “Ready.” Not realizing she was mimicking Tousha, Tsubaki pulled her hair off of her shoulders and bundled it high onto her head, tying it off loosely. She stood and walked into the pool, easing herself down slowly, unable to hold in the deep sigh of relief the water elicited from her. Bath before ramen was definitely the correct choice.

She heard and felt Tousha sink into the water next to her. And for a little while, they simply sat. They had done a lot of that while traveling together, sitting near or by each other in a tense, awkward silence. But for the first time, Tsubaki didn’t feel a heavy weight suffocating her, like the silence was trying to consume her. The silence was just…quiet, and nothing else. And eventually, when Tsubaki wanted to speak, she didn’t have to fight for the space to do it.

“Just so you know,” she said, her voice the epitome of seriousness. “This is great and all but…I’m still just thinking about ramen.” If Tousha looked over at her he would see her with her head leaned back against the edge of the pool, the smallest hint of a genuine smile on her face.

[Toshi]

Tousha slipped into the pool next to Tsubaki with his patented old man sigh, the warm, mostly clean water soothing the seasoned Shinobi's joints and road weary feet. He dipped a hand towel in the water, wrung out most of it, and then slapped it over his eyes and part of his forehead before resting the back of his head on the edge of the pool. "By all the Kage that's good," the Vagabond said, feeling the tension in his entire body melt away.

The silence that hung between the two Shinobi was exemplary. The ambient sounds of the bath house only embellished the restful peace that had settled in cozily around them, unafraid of continuing indefinitely. In Tousha's experience it wasn't the amount of conversation between two people that determined their comfortability with each other, but instead the silence they could create without any abrasion. Not wanting to ruin how at peace he was in that moment, with the Kunoichi, Tousha simply allowed it to breathe.

Surprised that it was Tsubaki who spoke up first, Tousha couldn't help but smile too. He didn't need to see the young woman's face to know she was smiling. Genuinely smiling. He could hear the weightlessness of her words, and it made Tousha unreasonably happy.

"Glad I'm not the only one," Tousha said gingerly, worried that the slightest muscular disturbance might pull him from his warm cocoon of serenity. "You got the baths, so I'll spring for the ramen. Deal?"

[Amy]

Tsubaki had actual tears forming in the corners of her eyes as she stuffed her mouth full of noodles and pork. It was every bit as good as she had been daydreaming about all day. The clear, hot broth that felt like it seeped directly into her bones, making her forget she had ever been cold a day in her life. The noodles were firm and pleasant, not too heavy in her stomach but heavy enough to make her forget she had ever been starving in the forest. And the pork. It was truly the pork that brought the tears to Tsubak’s eyes. Grilled to perfection, the fat still firm enough to hold up to the broth but somehow each piece she put in her mouth practically melted. Her head nodded in appreciation as she turned to Tousha, covering her mouth as she could not wait to express her gratitude despite her mouth still being full. “Thank you. This is exactly what I needed.”

Taking a deep breath, Tsubaki sighed happily through her nose. After they had finished bathing and changing into the cleaner sets of clothing they had, they had asked the woman outside about a nearby ramen shop and she had been happy to point out her favorite one to the now much more presentable duo. It was a very small shop, only four tables besides the seven or eight stools at the bar but every single seat was taken. The old man behind the bar who had made their ramen smiled over at the two, clearly taking pride in how much they were enjoying his food.

“Thank you also. I’m tellin’ ya this is one of the best bowls of ramen I’ve ever had. Maybe the best.” Tsubaki had slowed her eating to a more respectable pace, sipping on some of the tea that they had also ordered. She felt human again. And even better was that after what had happened at the bath house she felt comfortable in the new step of friendship that she and Tousha had made it to. It was such a relief to be able to just…coexist with someone. To not have to watch them from the corner of her eye, waiting to see what they were going to do or not do. This was the first time in months, or maybe years, that Tsubaki had sat down to a nice meal with a friend.

And that fact alone made this the best food Tsubaki had ever had.

“I like this town,” she said to Tousha, who she hoped was enjoying his meal as much as she was her own. “I think it might be good to stay for a few days.” She did like the town but more than that, Tsubaki just wanted a place to rest for a few days. She had lost track of how many days in a row she had been traipsing through the forest and she finally felt like she could let herself rest.

[Toshi]

"Mrrmph Mrrlcmff," Tousha replied through what some would call an irresponsible helping of broth laden noodles. He did not take the time to cover his mouth like the Kunoichi, the muscles of his jaw working dutifully to deliver the life saving ramen to his old and failing body before he withered away to a sad, raisin-like husk. They say that hunger is the best spice, which certainly helped elevate the meal he and Tsubaki were sharing to legendarily delectable, but even without having suffering through weeks of life on the road the Vagabond would have found this small ramen shop's food especially good.

Tousha affirmed Tsubaki's praise to the chef with a boisterous thumbs up, who returned the gesture before returning to his critically important work of sating hungry bellies.

With a satisfied 'haaaah,' Tousha put down his bowl of half finished ramen and chopsticks, reaching for his own cup of tea while Tsubaki mentioned staying in the town for a few days. He took a sip and, though its quality was leagues under that of the ramen, Tousha was delighted to have tea flowing freely in his system again. It had truly been too long, considering his personal stash had run out days before Tsubaki had found him, poisoned, alone, and failing at fishing.

"I'm quite fond of it as well," Tousha agreed, smiling softly at the Kunoichi. "A few days with a roof over our heads will do us good, methinks. Body and soul." The seasoned Shinobi stirred the tea cup in his hand lazily, curiosity touching his eyes. "Then what? You mentioned something about a group you've been traveling with. Do you know where they are?"

His tone was careful. Gentle, even. He wanted the words to reach Tsubaki as friendly interest rather than a crowbar to pry at her privacy.

[Amy]

“Ah…” Tsubaki drew out, choosing to drink some more tea before answering. She didn’t speak of them. At all. She thought about them every day and she dreamed about them every night. But it was too hard to talk about them because it just reminded her of what she was missing. She sighed heavily through her nose, her chopsticks digging around in her nearly empty bowl. “No, I don’t know where they are. I left about two years ago after an…incident. Not with the intention of staying away forever but…” How could she explain it all? Years of history, of fights, of love, of drama. It was impossible to do all at once. “I have to do something before I go back and I haven’t done it yet. So, I’ll keep traveling until then. I have an agreement with…” What even was Shirai, now? Her boyfriend? She still thought of him that way. But there was a chance he would never forgive her for what she did. He may never want to see her again. “With the other medic who worked for the crew. Every town we visit we check in with the town doctor or, if there isn’t one, with whoever is in charge for a letter from each other. And we always leave one. Eventually, we’ll cross paths again.”

It wasn’t a great plan. And she had no way of knowing if Shirai was doing it or not. She had no way of knowing if he was even still with the crew. But it was what she said she would do and she would continue to do it until she found them again. Even if all they had to say to her was to leave again.

“So, after a few days of rest and relaxation I suppose I’ll venture back out and start heading to the next down. I’ll help anyone here who needs it. A lot of people in these small villages don’t ever get the opportunity to see a real healer. They can’t travel that far and no one comes out here. So, it’s not a lot, but I do what I can.”

Tsubaki gave a light shrug as she finished the last of her ramen. She had never liked making a big deal of the work that she did. The people she helped were always grateful enough that she didn’t need additional praise from others. It was enough to know that she had made somebody’s life easier at least. “What about you?”

[Toshi]

Tousha shrunk into himself a hair as he watched Tsubaki struggle with his question. He felt horrible in that moment, thinking that he'd overreached into uncomfortable territory for the young woman. The Shinobi couldn't stop himself from holding back a wince as she sighed deeply and dug around in her ramen, expecting her to tell him that wasn't any of his business or that he wasn't important enough to know anything about her life or that all of this was a mista-

But then Tsubaki began explaining. And then she kept explaining, and all of that worry turned into concern and curiosity for his new friend and the life she'd left behind. It all intermingled in his gut, along with the delicious ramen he'd practically inhaled, resulting in the smallest of noodly, friendshipy burps that he tried to cover up with a less small cough.

When Tsubaki was finished sharing what she wanted to share at the table, Tousha knew that her confidence shouldn't be pushed any further. He wanted to know who this other medic was, and what 'incident' had occurred. What could have possibly separated her from her traveling companions? Would the next town finally be the one she was looking for? Questions swam through his mind like excited minnows, but he ignored all of them as best he could.

Curiosity and intrigue were wonderful things, but moderation and self control needed to persevere in that moment. Thankfully, they did.

"I'm a leaf on the wind, Tsubaki," Tousha answered easily, leaning back and making a show of how casual and aloof he was. The Kunoichi definitely wasn't pulling at his manly heartstrings with all of her talk and trust and willingness to confide in him. That would be ridiculous. And so the Vagabond waved a hand through the air like a leaf blowing through an imaginary wind and added, "I go where the flow takes me. It just so happens to be taking me in... Uh, whatever direction you're going."

Then he gave her a probing, hopefully nonchalant look and said, "If that's okay, I mean. If that's... If you're not sick of me yet."

[Amy]

Tsubaki shook her head back and forth slightly as she finished off her meal. Somehow, as soon as he started talking she had a feeling about what he was going to say. Maybe it was because she felt it too. Despite the fact that their meeting had been a random encounter of chance it didn’t feel like they were done with each other yet. Maybe it was because it only just now felt like they were getting to know each other and going their separate ways at this point felt…unfinished. It was only a few days ago that she would have done anything possible to go back to traveling on her own. Being on her own. Just, existing on her own. But sitting under the shade, empty bowls in front of them, the quiet din of the villagers living their lives behind them and Tousha by her side, she realized that she didn’t want to be alone anymore.

Sure, it probably wasn’t going to last forever. Eventually, she needed to find her family even if it was just to give them all some closure. Maybe they would only travel together for another month or maybe it would be another year. Such uncertainty usually brought a great anxiety upon Tsubaki but hidden behind all of that anxiety was just the smallest spark of excitement. It had been so long since she looked forward to the unknown, finding new things to explore, new things to see, new things to experience. She had wondered a lot over the last year of her life if she would ever find that again; if anything could shine again in the darkness that had enshrouded her soul.

And for the first time, it felt like maybe. It wasn’t a guarantee and there was the chance it could go wrong like so many things before it. But for whatever reason, instead of turning away from the fear, Tsubaki raised her chin and faced it head on this time. She smiled at Tousha, for just a moment, just long enough to take a breath of fresh air.

“Of course it’s okay. You can stick by me for as long as you’d like.”

[Toshi]

Tousha paid her smile back twofold, his thin eyes closing from the sheer force of his beaming grin and his well earned smile-lines proudly on display. He gave the Kunoichi one of his patented thumbs up and said, "All right! Tsubaki and Tousha, on the loose and out of control. I wouldn't want it any other way." Unable to contain his levity, his aloof 'cool guy' act absolutely in tatters, Tousha picked up his ramen bowl once more and clicked his chopsticks together before persuading more of the delicious noodles into his face.

After some vigorous noodle munching Tousha wiped his mouth with a napkin and said,"If we're staying here for a few days we'll need to find a place to crash, grab some new camping supplies, obviously sniff out the best tea joint. You know, the essentials. I think I heard someone mention a place where we could..."



Tousha prattled on, unashamedly reveling in Tsubaki's acceptance of his continued presence. The weather was beautiful and wasn't actively trying to kill either of them, the food was excellent, and Tousha's antics were amusing at least to himself. The pair of Shinobi would take most of the early afternoon to wind down from their traveling trials, neither of them being in a particular hurry to do anything but relax and enjoy themselves. Tousha would chat up one of the waiters as they were leaving the ramen shop to find a suitable place for them to stay for the next few days, and they were directed to a cozy little inn ran by an elderly woman who doted on all of her guests as if they were her own grandchildren. Needless to say, Tousha allowed her to dote on him all she liked. Tsubaki was more... Rigid towards the old woman's attention at first, but was worn down somewhat by such overwhelming grandmotherly affection.

The next task, after they were able to escape the elderly woman’s affections, was to find a shop to replace their unrepairable clothes and the tents that they had lost in the storm. Tsubaki would have been more than happy to wander around until she found the shop that they needed but Tousha had no qualms asking around and getting them pointed in the right direction. Once in the shop Tsubaki had no choice but to take over the shopping as Tousha was immediately distracted by the shoes. Which, to be fair, he was currently missing both of. So while he perused the shoes, several attendants rushing to his aid when he reached towards the box on the bottom of the stack, Tsubaki gathered the tents and smaller items that they needed. She didn’t know what size he wore so he would have to grab his own clothes. When she walked back to find Tousha she couldn’t resist smiling at his absolute joy over having shoes again.

With the shopping done, which was described as 'hungry work' by a newly shoed Toush before insisting that they stop for some sweet buns, the Shinobi would drop their newly acquired gear off at the inn and take their snacks to a small pond they'd passed near the village's outskirts. They would sit on a bench near the water and point out the myriad of birds they recognized to each other. Tsubaki would take an early (and commanding) lead in knowing which bird species were which, but Tousha earned more points in coming up with ridiculous, obviously untrue 'facts' about them. Their time at the lake would be cut tragically short when Tousha decided to offer a nearby goose the crumbs of his snack, only to be repaid with a great deal of angry honking and chasing.

After the debacle at the park with the goose, the duo decided to take it easy for the rest of the day. They took the short route back to the inn and said a brief farewell to indulge in a late afternoon nap. They reconvened for a late dinner over which they had minimal but enjoyable conversation. Tsubaki was slowly starting to be able to share and Tousha was all too eager to listen to it all. After their dishes were cleared and the tea was gone they decided on a short walk before bed to assist in healthy digestion. Along the way they passed a lively dorayaki stand and Tsubaki insisted on treating them both to one. With dessert in hand the two walked along the street under the starlit sky. There was silence between them, a silence full of peace. After everything that they had gone through together in such a short amount of time it seemed that things were finally looking up.



Unsurprisingly, it was Tousha who interrupted that peaceful silence. "Today was a good day," he said quietly, almost to himself. "Best I've had in a long time." He playfully bumped into Tsubaki with his shoulder as they walked side by side and flashed a familiar smirk. "Thanks for sticking with me, Tsubaki. I know I'm a pain in the ass sometimes but... Well, I think hanging around you for a while might make me a little more manageable."

[Amy]

Tsubaki bumped Tousha back, still surprised to find herself not shying away from him as much. But he was right. It had been a good day. A great day, even, by Tsubaki’s standards. Things had been so bad for so long that she had forgotten what it was like to get through a normal day. To accomplish things and to accomplish them easily. Everything that Tsubaki had done in the past months had been hard. From waking up to going to sleep, every step of her day had been a struggle. And yet, not at any point on this day had she felt like she couldn’t do the thing. Well, except for the bath but that had been entirely unrelated to her usual struggles. And while Tsubaki could still feel that darkness swirling in the pit of her stomach, she had hope that this was proof that it wouldn’t always be there. If it could settle down for one day, what was to say it couldn’t for a second or third day. A month. Years. She had spent so long shutting herself off from everyone, thinking that it was helping because no one could hurt her, but maybe she had gotten it backwards after all. Maybe it was letting people in that would do the trick. The right people at least.

“’Sometimes’ feels a bit generous…but I’ll allow it.” Tsubaki wrinkled her nose slightly as she grinned. She had long ago figured out that part of why it was easier to get close to Tousha was because he reminded her of Shirai. They both had the facade of an easy going person who just wanted everyone around them to be happy. But it was clear to anyone who tried to look deeper that there was much more swirling beneath the surface of their personality. Tousha was a pain but it was a familiar pain of someone who wouldn’t leave you alone just because you yelled at them. She had been remarkably unkind to him and while it benefitted him to stay near her she didn’t believe that that was the only reason he had stuck it out. He reminded her of Shirai because he was a good person.

“It was a great day,” she said quietly. “Don’t let me influence you too much though. One bleeding heart per group is plenty.” Her greatest asset and her greatest downfall, all wrapped up in a single trait. “Thanks for being willing to stick around though. You think I’m doing you a favor but I’ve been on my own for so long I can’t say I’m ready to go back to it yet. Don’t feel bad about going your own way if you get tired of me though.” Tsubaki glanced over at him, trying to soften her words with another soft smile. It wasn’t that she really thought that he would tire of her but she knew that if he did…well, it would be easier to swallow if she accepted the possibility sooner rather than later.

[Toshi]

Tousha rolled his eyes dramatically at Tsubaki's cringle-nosed teasing, quickly followed by a mischievous and knowing grin. It was the smile of a toddler who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar but knew he was too endearing to stay mad at for long. That smile grew a little softer as the Kunoichi kept talking, until finally the vagabond's expression settled on serene melancholy. Not because he would get tired of traveling with Tsubaki anytime soon, but because they would inevitably be forced to part ways because of Tousha's responsibilities.

Were it so simple that hey was just another drifter, roaming from town to town without a care in the world.

"I'm not going anywhere, Tsubaki," Tousha said, his dark eyes probably revealing more than he'd like. "Not without you. I promise." His tone was somehow distant, as if he was speaking through and past Tsubaki, to someone very far away.

Hearing the somberness in his own voice, Tousha decided to stuff his mouth with the last of the dorayaki as to not spoil the mood. "Phat's rheally good," he said, trying to hide himself a little.

[Amy]

The rest of the night was simple and easy. The two walked around for a little bit longer, enjoying the quiet night life of the town. There were a few rowdy patrons here and there but for the most part the atmosphere was calming. She found herself growing quiet, mulling over Tousha’s words. Not going anywhere without her. He promised. She wondered if he had really thought about that before uttering those words. He definitely looked as though he meant what he said which somehow just made the words that much harder to believe. She let him say them though, without argument. There was something about the way he spoke that made her believe she couldn’t change his mind, even if she tried.

After a little bit longer they had circled around back to the inn and made the easy decision to call it a night. It had been a rather successful day and they had earned a good night of rest. Tsubaki stopped in the hallway between their rooms, her hand stilling on the doorknob. She held her breath, knowing that as soon as she was alone in her room all of the good things she currently felt would drift away. She knew what would replace them. But she wondered, would it maybe be just a little bit easier tonight? She hoped so. She wanted to say something to Tousha. But what? So many words swirled around her head but she couldn’t catch enough of them to form a sentence.

Finally, she sighed, turning to look at him over her shoulder. A somewhat rueful smile on her face. “See you in the morning for breakfast?”

Once the door was locked behind her, Tsubaki let loose a loud sigh that transformed into an almost equally as loud groan. She was exhausted. Traveling with Tousha as a reluctant acquaintance was one thing but hanging out as…friends? Buddies? Companions? Whatever they were now, it was a lot more tiring. She had become so used to staying wrapped up in nothing but herself that it took a lot of effort to undo that. Tsubaki was pretty sure that she had done well, though. As she crawled into bed, laying her head on her pillow, she wondered how tomorrow would go. And before she knew it, she had spent so long wondering what would happen the next day that she had fallen asleep without ever losing the good feelings left over from the day.

[Toshi]

Something had changed on the way back to the inn. That easy silence that had become a comfortable companion to them both suddenly seemed polluted somehow. That feeling of unspoken unease only seemed to worsen as they approached their respective rooms.

"Yeah, of course," Tousha would answer without thinking much on it. "My treat this time." He watched as Tsubaki disappeared into her room, a lingering air of hesitation swirling in her wake as she shut and latched the door. The Vagabond went to open his door and stopped when he heard Tsubaki let out a discontented sigh and groan. Before he could stop it, the seasoned Shinobi's mind ran wild with what those sounds of frustration could mean.

She's just humoring you, one of those errant thoughts whispered. You're a convenience. A novelty. You always are.

Quietly, his brow slack with piteous affirmation, he opened his own door and slipped inside. He would sit cross legged near the sleeping mat for a while, only the barest vestiges of moon and starlight washing the room in silvery grays. With a slow, practiced movement the Shinobi unbound his hair and allowed it to fall onto his shoulders, stark black against his pale, scarred skin. Then he rubbed at his face, stretched some stiffness out of the muscles between his shoulder blades, and burrowed under the covers with a few old man grunts. Mercifully, sleep would find Tousha quickly that night.





The next day was much like the last. Tousha and Tsubaki would meet in the inn's entry room, the inn's owner would ask them doting questions about their stay and practically forced her fresh baked goods into their hands, they enjoyed a simple but delicious breakfast at the ramen shop, and then afterwards worked off their meal with a long, lazy walk around the town. The unease Tousha had felt between them had all but disappeared and he was profoundly happy that Tsubaki was genuinely enjoying his company. But, just like the night before, when they decided to turn in he could feel that tension growing again. Like a specter in the night it weighed on them both, but Tousha was unsure of how to approach the young woman about it. He so deeply cherished the trust and openness between them that it left him paralyzed, thinking about taking even a step too far into this new and tenuous territory.

It was easier to leave it unaddressed and hope that it went away rather than try to help fix the problem and ruin everything in the process. So, just like before, they agreed to meet in the morning for breakfast, agreeing that after their bellies were full they would pack up and leave for the next town. The locals told them it was nearly a four day walk but the road was easy and well traveled, one of the safer routes in the region.

Sleep found Tousha less easily that night, but it came for him all the same. He would dream of a swimming hole in the Nara forest.





That morning, Tousha woke to silence. The birdsong he'd grown used to waking up with was eerily absent. The lack of that sound was deafening and almost mournful. Still, he urged his stiff body to get up out of bed, perform some daily calisthenics, and wash up in a small basin of water provided in the room. He slipped on his sturdy traveling clothes and tied up his long, black hair into a familiar, loosely contained ponytail. The Shinobi left his room with a yawn and one last neck stretch, waltzing into the inn's entry lounge and finding...

Nothing. No Tsubaki, no elderly, doting innkeeper, no other guests. He stood there, wholly alone, his head turning this way and that in confusion. Had he woken up before Tsubaki? Impossible. The woman was a morning savant and never faltered in beating him to the punch of starting the day.

"Tsubaki?" Tousha would say quietly, politely knocking on the Kunoichi's door. No answer, no sounds from inside the room. He tried knocking again, this time a hair louder. "Huh," the Vagabond muttered to himself. She must have gone ahead to get them a table.

She's already gone.

Tousha entered the ramen shop and waved at the chef with a less than easy smile. He looked around, his gaze practically begging to land on Tsubaki at a table enjoying her breakfast without a care in the world. Those hopes would go unanswered when he realized she wasn't here either. Tousha asked a passing waitress if she'd seen Tsubaki this morning. After some thought the woman shrugged and said no, she hadn't seen the Kunoichi since the morning before.

Fear and worry worked its way up Tousha's throat, like bile threatening to pour out of his mouth. That fear fueled the man's movements as he briskly exited the ramen shop without another word and pounded his way down the road towards the center of town. Tsubaki!" he called out, hoping his words would reach his friend over the sounds of townsfolk going about their daily business. "Tsubaki! I'm right here!"

Still no answer, no sign of the young woman. Tousha frantically stopped a passing man carrying a large basket under one arm, the lines of his face etched in dark concern as he asked if he'd seen Tsubaki. A brief, stammered description of the Kunoichi practically fell out of him as the man pulled away rudely and continued walking down the street.

Might as well pack up and leave. It's over.

Now running, Tousha searched everywhere he could think of to find Tsubaki. He asked strangers, wandered into establishments, visited everywhere they'd been in the last few days. The Shinobi was heading back into town after checking the pond they'd sat and talked at when he noticed the street was nearly empty now. Tousha slowed from a run into a jog, and then a jog into a trot, then a walk, until finally he stopped dead in his tracks.

"No."

Standing in the road was a quartet of armed men. The one nearest to Tousha, a taller, nearly bald but heavily bearded man holding a naginata stared at him with an impassable expression. Behind him another man, much younger, held a longbow at half draw that was aimed in his direction. And finally, the last two men had a hand on either of Tsubaki's shoulders. The Kunoichi was kneeling in the road, her wrists and neck bound in iron manacles, and her long, brown hair obscuring her face.

"Stay where you are," the naginata wielding man said calmly, his form still as the stoney quality of his voice. "No one needs to get hurt."

Tousha didn't think he could move if he wanted to. His dark, thin eyes darted from man to man, then to Tsubaki, and then back to the one addressing him. Every ounce of his experience as a Shinobi attempted to quell the rising terror that blanched his already pale skin. "Let her go," he said, trying to sound commanding but only barely managing to stifle the worry that crippled his voice. "Please. I don't know who you are or what you want but please... Don't do this."

The man with the naginata remained stoic and unfaltering. Relentless. "If you do as I say no harm will come to the girl. You have my word." The man holding the bow pulled his notched bow back a little further, the arrow pointing at Tousha with an unwavering resolve. The two men holding Tsubaki each brandished nasty looking fire-hardened clubs. One of them went as far as to hold his weapon over the Kunoichi's head.

"Okay," Tousha said, holding out a shaking hand. "Fine. J-just... Stop. What do you want from us?"

With calm pragmatism, the man addressing Tousha pulled out a small, black booklet. Tousha's eyes widened as the nearly bald man held it up, revealing a Bingo Book. "Nara Tousha," he said slowly. A finger tapped the book's cover. "Or should I call you Lord Hokage?"

Nara Tousha's blood ran cold at the words. The ground seemed to fall out from under him, leaving only the bearded man's crushing stare. Those carved features were cracked by the subtlest of smiles at Tousha's shattering.

"A lot of people would pay good money for a man like you."