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Recherche	By : Eggburtshamslice Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male > Kakashi/Iruka Views: 4188 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor do I make any profit from this work of fanfiction.

Chapter List
- 5
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Recherché: Gather Round
Miles from a bustling town plaza, worlds apart from the malodorous constable’s den, this scenic shortcut was everything Genma promised. Shielded by a canopy of dragon’s blood red maple trees, dappled sunlight played leapfrog at their feet over the hardened yellow clay path leading to the temple. Creeping ground cover swayed under the weight of pollen laden bees. The steeper the incline, the headier the perfume of shrubbery blooming out of their seasons – jasmine, heliotrope, sweet alyssum and loquat trees. A pity . . . this place, a balm for the weary soul and a delight for the senses, was going to waste, for the one man best able to appreciate its ambiance was probably sitting in a meeting with the Governor. Sandwiched between the multiloquent mortician pointing out the cultural significance of every pebble, plant and paving stone along the way, and the choleric Kotetsu, who’d taken to mumbling humorously creative curse words under his breath, Izumo was hard pressed to keep a smile on his lips and his own temper in check.
And at the rate things were going, the urge to turn back after throttling both of them was becoming harder to resist.
“Mr. Shiranui,” he said, praying his tone wouldn’t give away the irritation he felt, “we appreciate the time you’ve set aside to accompany us to the temple but--”
“Think nothing of it and please … call me Genma,” he huffed, putting more distance between them. “Had to go to there anyway . . . huge wake tonight, huge funeral tomorrow you know. Have to . . . finalize arrangements with the priest and monks, make sure the altar’s prepared – things like that. Bet you gents didn’t know the work of an undertaker was so complex . . . oh, that reminds me, have to get back to the morgue before noon. Afraid I won’t be accompanying you back to town . . . coffin delivery and a nōkan to perform--”
“Yeah, yeah, we got it . . . red-letter day for you,” Kotetsu sniped. “How much longer before we get there?”
"Quarter of a mile I reckon, we’re almost at the crest of the hill. Don’t tell me, strapping young buck like you can’t keep up with an old man like me?”
Izumo felt his friend bristle beside him and from the corner of his eye, he saw him open his mouth to say something churlish. Mercifully, Genma was quicker on the draw.
“Could’ve made better time on horseback, but the only stables nearby belong to the constables; they frown on hiring out their mounts to civilians.”
“Not a problem, a brisk walk in the fresh air will do us good,” Izumo assures him.
“Well let me know if you gents need to stop and catch your breath. Meanwhile, if you look to your left, that stone lantern over there was a gift from the Land of Earth … I think.”
As their nescient cicerone moved up the path, Izumo nudged his friend in the ribs drawing his attention to a brace of colorful waterfowl zigzagging their way through the bulrushes and sword ferns near shallow ponds. Soon, they formed a cluster of shiny orange and black beaks and flapping feathers as they waddled closer to the winding footpath.
It took a few minutes before Genma realized they weren’t walking behind him, and when he turned about he chuckled saying, “Don’t mind them. Little buggers, used to getting handouts from the pilgrims along this path. Once they realize you have no bread fragments or sweet corn kernels to give them, they’ll quiet down and leave you alone. Now, let me direct your attention to--”
“Wonder what it will take to make him quiet down and leave us alone?"
A shared, guilty snicker rippled between the two young men. “’Cut it out Tetsu, we’re being rude to our host.”
“Like he cares. We’ve hardly gotten a word in edgewise since we left the Constable’s office, you think he’s paying attention to us now? I say we ditch him--"
“That’s unwise.” Holding up his hands to forestall interruption he added, “Consider this, we show up on law enforcement’s doorstep the very morning a high-profile murder victim was discovered; we didn’t exactly keep it secret that we have information about the killer terrorizing these people. You saw how well that sat with Inspector Morino--”
“Exactly why I hate involving the police … always end up being scrutinized and spied on.” Shoving his hands deeper into his pockets, lukewarm hostility tinged Kotetsu's voice, “Why can’t they see we’re just trying to help them?”
“Tetsu, how well did we understand upon first hearing such things?”
The look of exasperation slowly slid off his face, though his body was still wound tighter than a spool of silk thread. “Yeah . . . well, Iruka’s father had lost most of his marbles toward the end and this hoo-hah about gaki did sound ridiculous--”
“Of course it did.” He threw an arm around his friend's shoulder and pulled him close. "Try to understand, the people are paranoid, practically jumping at their own shadows; the police are walking around in circles, looking for a scapegoat to parade before the people. If we ‘ditch’ Genma now, he’ll report everything we’ve said and done to the Inspector in excruciating detail; that would make us look even more suspicious to the police.” He stepped back and looked his friend in the eyes, “Two rakishly handsome young men, gussied up in tailored suits, surrounded by kimonos, hakama and pushcarts, we stick out like two sore thumbs . . . well, you more so than me. For now, it's in our best interests to lay low and follow Iruka’s lead like we promised.” Watching the fat little ducks come closer as they stood on the stair, Izumo reached into his pocket, pretending to throw a fistful of nothing toward them.
“Now what are you doing?”
“Just watch.” The knot of ducks instantly scattered when Izumo's arm dropped to his side, each of them scrambling for a morsel of imaginary treats. They all gave up at the same time, but once reassembled they quacked louder as they boldly closed in on them. “See that? To you and me, that loudmouth mortician’s a nuisance,” Izumo said, “but Genma’s like these ducks; fat, happy … stuffed full of confidential information. He’ll quack louder and struggle to keep us close on the off chance of getting a ‘treat’ like learning of our plans before the time is right. All we have to do is throw bits of general information his way." The twinkle in Kotetsu's eyes let him know that he understood. “If we keep his little brain occupied, he might give us something we can use.”
“Zumo, he’s thick as two planks--”
“Fortunately, he’s also a blabbermouth. Just settle down and stay focused. We promised Iruka we'd move at his pace, and we’re going to stick to the plan,” he said, as he further invaded Kotetsu’s space. “We mobilize on his say so, not a moment sooner. We clear?”
“I’m not stupid, I’m just saying … can’t believe Iruka ran off and left us with this insufferable gasbag--!”
“Shush, he’ll hear you!”
“Please, the man loves the sound of his own voice too much, jackass still hasn’t realized we’re not walking behind him anymore.”
Another intentional and very sharp poke to the ribs doubled Kotetsu over this time, sending the ducks squawking and flapping when he stumbled off the path.
“Oi,” Genma turned and said. “You alright back there?”
“Yes, all is well,” Izumo volunteered. “My dear friend here is somewhat of a klutz … bless his heart.”
An extended hand was pushed away by the angry, out of breath Kotetsu who glared daggers at the other man.
“Long time at sea will do that; probably didn’t get much sleep last night either, considering the last passenger ship didn’t disembark until well after midnight. You were on that ship, right?”
“Yes, you’re right … the journey finally caught up with us. But not to worry Genma, he’ll be fine … won’t you Tetsu?”
Notes:
Multiloquent: speaking much, very talkative; loquacious.
Choleric: extremely irritable or easily angered.
Nescient: unknowing.
Cicerone:  tour guide; leader of a sightseeing tour.
Nōkan: a funeral ritual; the body is washed and the orifices blocked with cotton or gauze. The mortician wraps the body, and dresses it; in Hitomi’s case, she’ll be clothed in a white kimono. The body is then placed on dry ice inside the coffin and certain items like a pair of sandals, another white kimono and six coins for crossing the River of Three Crossings are placed in the coffin as well. The body is normally arranged with its head toward the north, or as a secondary choice, toward the west. In Buddhism, the western orientation reflects the western realm of Amida Buddha.
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