#seriyu

“I’m glad you think so,” Genbu said dryly as he poured Suzaku another drink. They were on the private rooftop dining area of a particularly upscale restaurant. There was no one else- the only other person they’d seen all evening was their server who arrived via a small elevator. It had a panoramic view of the village and the fireworks going off in all areas, from the Lowtown to the Pillar Row. Team Hoshi couldn’t partake in the full festivities- they would go on shift the next morning- but dinner? They could swing. 

It would have been a hard reservation to get, even for a well respected ANBU unit, out of uniform as they all were. 

It wasn’t hard for the firstborn son of the Akimichi- even if he wasn’t technically Clan Heir. 

“This still violates-” Seriyu began, and Genbu finished for her as he filled her drink, “the original desires of the First Hokage, we know, Seriyu.” Genbu put the jug down and shrugged. “It’s not my fault the God of Shinobi never knew dick about economics.” 

Seriyu chuckled. “I suppose not. I’ll leave off.” 

“Please do.” Genbu said. 

“I can see my house from here!” Byakko said, pointing. Genbu ambled up alongside him. “The one with the green roof?” 

“Mhm. Mom’s probably already left-she was gonna meet her boyfriend at the river. There’s your compound, Genbu.” 

Genbu smiled. “If you look real hard you can probably still see the light on in Chicho’s window. Workaholic.” 

“There’s nothing wrong with a strong work ethic,” Seriyu told her teammates as she joined them at the railing. 

“I don’t think Chicho has a strong work ethic so much as an ethic perpetual motion machine,” Genbu said to her. “How about you, Seriyu? Can you see your house from here?” 

“Maybe,” Seriyu said. Byakko elbowed her and pointed. “Over there.” 

“You invited the kid over before me?” Genbu asked, putting one hand to his chet in false shock. “Why I never.” 

“He followed me home!” Seriyu countered. 

“I did,” Byakko admitted. “And I’m not a kid!” 

“You’re only two years older than my little brother, Byakko. You’re a kid.” 

“You’re all ridiculous.” Suzaku said. She stood and joined her team. They were a group of odd ducks, for sure- Suzaku herself tall and slender, Seriyu shorter and curved, Byakko looking the age he insisted was not important and Genbu looming over them larger than life. 

“There they are,” Genbu murmured as the biggest set of fireworks began going off- set from floating platforms in the middle of the river. 

Team Hoshi watched the display in silence. 

“Hey, guys?” Byakko whispered between distant explosions.

“Yeah?” Seriyu asked. 

“Thanks.” He said. 

It was a heavy word with heavy implications, both when they were wearing their masks and when they weren’t. Thanks for looking after me, thanks for accepting me, thanks for giving me experiences I can’t afford, thanks for making sure I don’t go too far down the rabbit hole. 

They had all said it, at different times, and it had always meant different things yet exactly the same things. 

A crimson firework exploded in a multilevel shower of sparks. 

“No problem,” Genbu said when the ash had fallen. 

Glow cover by Seriyu.

(fall by Seriyu)