[fic] Without Leave
Title: Without Leave
Characters: Hana, Ibiki
Genre: Angst
Rating: K+
A/N: Vaguely related to my Complications-verse but all you need to know is that Hana, Itachi and Kabuto were taught by Ibiki.
Summary: Shortly after the Sand/Sound invasion, Hana catches up with her sensei.
She glances across the table at him. He seems almost out of place as he sits there, calmly sipping tea, cup dwarfed in his hand. His gaze is politely inquiring.
She sighs.
"How's Inoue-san?" she asks, breaking the silence.
There's a flicker of warning in his eyes. His work is not something to be discussed casually.
"Well enough, I suppose," he allows, eventually.
"It's a difficult time for us at the clinic as well. Sometimes it feels like I could do with some armour or a helmet to protect me," she says nonchalantly, watching his reaction.
He doesn't look at her but turns his eyes on her dogs instead. One thing he learnt while she was his student was that they tended to react to her moods and weren't that good at hiding it. Gin whines faintly while Nezu and Sumi fidget.
"Unfortunately Sound damaged the armour-smith's shop and he had to relocate temporarily. I doubt you'll get a helmet any time soon."
He hopes she understands what he means.
She lowers her head briefly.
"I guess I'll just have to do without one then. Thanks for the tea, sensei."
"It was no problem."
She gets up and turns to leave, her dogs at her side.
"Oh and Hana?"
She glances back at him.
"Sometimes armour costs more than it's worth."
She nods slowly.
"I'll keep that in mind, sensei."
Then she really is gone and he thinks about traitorous students and failed teachers.
Perhaps even his one success story was worth it though.
Characters: Hana, Ibiki
Genre: Angst
Rating: K+
A/N: Vaguely related to my Complications-verse but all you need to know is that Hana, Itachi and Kabuto were taught by Ibiki.
Summary: Shortly after the Sand/Sound invasion, Hana catches up with her sensei.
She glances across the table at him. He seems almost out of place as he sits there, calmly sipping tea, cup dwarfed in his hand. His gaze is politely inquiring.
She sighs.
"How's Inoue-san?" she asks, breaking the silence.
There's a flicker of warning in his eyes. His work is not something to be discussed casually.
"Well enough, I suppose," he allows, eventually.
"It's a difficult time for us at the clinic as well. Sometimes it feels like I could do with some armour or a helmet to protect me," she says nonchalantly, watching his reaction.
He doesn't look at her but turns his eyes on her dogs instead. One thing he learnt while she was his student was that they tended to react to her moods and weren't that good at hiding it. Gin whines faintly while Nezu and Sumi fidget.
"Unfortunately Sound damaged the armour-smith's shop and he had to relocate temporarily. I doubt you'll get a helmet any time soon."
He hopes she understands what he means.
She lowers her head briefly.
"I guess I'll just have to do without one then. Thanks for the tea, sensei."
"It was no problem."
She gets up and turns to leave, her dogs at her side.
"Oh and Hana?"
She glances back at him.
"Sometimes armour costs more than it's worth."
She nods slowly.
"I'll keep that in mind, sensei."
Then she really is gone and he thinks about traitorous students and failed teachers.
Perhaps even his one success story was worth it though.