Tom's Diner
The meal fills their stomach comfortably. Something about the sounds of verbal evisceration is comforting in a rueful way. The desire to step-in and comment on the unneeded vitriol had danced along the back of his shoulders, but the assistance of Kurama's deliberate breathing eased the stinging heart sores.
The bar has settled into that misty space of physical satisfaction but a lingering of presence, like a man having finished a cup of coffee but procrastinating for the chance to listen to the birds singing before the work day.
Cups are gathered by the owner as he passes. The lights are dimmed in the cooling area and wry apologies are passed to his basket as a wildly gesturing Anko nearly knocks it from his hold. He simply waves them off and moves to the next, more quiet, table.
Tsume tsks into her mostly drained glass of water. "Too fuckin sober to watch your buzzed ass. You're a shame to kunoichi everywhere. Getting buzzed from just a swallow of my sake? Downright disappointing."
"Tch," Anko wavers in her seat" not MY vice. All I've got is the sweet tooth. Rather that than Ebisu's panting or your liquor lapping" Kumi finishes her basket of snacks, smacks her hands together and smiles widely. Hayate eyes her with suspicion.
"So, leaving the topic of the night... I'd like to check with you all about some things I've been hearing."
The lighting seems to dim in his vision further. Whisps of ash linger in the air from the dead cooking stove. The sighs of satisfied guests signal their leaving towards home. Their shuffles obscure the group in sight yet their conversation is still discernable to his ear.
"What exactly," Ebisu stumbles" are the rumor mills spitting out lately, that would draw your attention?" She coyly hums.
"Her kid hkkk, dumbass.."
"Too right." Her voice tightens"I have heard something concerning as a parent that sends their child and clan heir to the state run school. Something about a teacher luring a student into the woods.... And that they ended up at his cabin." The last diner other than them and Chiyo leaves. The table has gone visibly tense.
Huh..... It really sounds worse from this side.
"It was already sketchy, you were just too young to know a teacher doesn't do things like that. Not like they ever gave you the normal interactions to compare it with."
"Ah, that situation." The glass cracks in Tsume's hand. She firmly, but calmly places the other on Hayate's shoulder. "I also wonder why parents weren't notified. Especially, since no clan was called during the search.... Which is even more strange considering just. How. Many. Clans possess tracking skills or kekki genki. Like per chance, my clan. Or the Hyuga considering their own history of their children wandering off... Care to share, old friend?"
Ebisu shakes, frozen in place with wide eyes peering over his glasses. Hayate blinks languidly at the women. Anko has straightened and appears focused on the table once more. "The situation was being monitored once it was discovered." He coughs into his hand. The thumb, index, and center fingers are spread to cover his mouth. Tension cracks across Kumi's smile. Tsume's fingers strain to NOT crush.
Chiyo gently sets the empty bowl down. The last bite of rice disappears into his mouth with a contented groan. Ebisu stills. Anko loudly sighs, tipping her head backwards. He places the chopsticks across the bowl top and softly claps three times.
"Praises to the earth, to the spirits, and the maker." Chiyo softly recites. He opens his eyes and raises a hand to the owner by the sinks. He lightly smiles, tilting his head under the Jounins' stilted scrutiny. "Would it be alright if I simply hand you the dishes? You were already kind enough to make this for me so close to putting out the fire."
The owner bows his head with a thank you. Chiyo stands up. Tapping raps on the table as he passes by.
"What's up with the nobel?" Anko's nails almost scratch the grain.Which teacher.
Tsume nearly indents the surface under her index. "Doesn't smell like much of a nobel. Not enough perfume for me to cough on. Besides, look at those hands, too rough for the good life, but just rough enough for my fur~" I already checked the logs, Mizuki is deep under the tree's shade. Which kid and what did he want them for?
Ebisu let's out a scandalized gasp, covering the sound of Hayate's finger on his glass. "How can a mother be so vulgar?!" To steal the Village's Forbidden scroll and then be killed... By us or his shuriken.
Chiyo hands the bowl into the pair of soapy hands and bows in the stunned quiet. He turns back around, fiddling with his purse string. The other bags peek from the dark of the coat.
"My kid wouldn't exist, if not for a bit of vulgarity. Which you'd know if you ever managed to get some. Nosebleed." Why would be think we'd kill the kid for being used like that? Even other Jonin have gotten manipulated and the worst punishment has been TnI refresher lessons.
He pulls out the coin for the meal. They are placed in perfect piles with the value going down around the curve. He touches his arm where a tattoo of a paintbrush is held in the mouth of a jaguar. It comes away wet.
Kumi clicks her tongue, picking at the edge of the basket. "Even I have to admit his shape is appealing. Just look at those shoulders. He ain't the tallest,but those and the number of coin bags tell me he eats quite well." You still haven't given us a name.
Ebisu sputters to Hayate's considering hum. "I'm wondering how you all are ignoring the tattoos! They may be faint in this light but they're on his face!" Hayate ring chinks slowly under the protest. Naruto.
Chiyo continues to run the finger over the wood, back turned to them. He hears the catch in their breathing and the slide of them slumping back into their seats.
...
He taps the edge of the design containing the money. It shimmers. He closes his coat and walks to the curtain. Just as he pushes it aside Tsume must have caught the mark in her sight.
"Holy shit! The table. I think those wer-" The curtain falls over his shoulder with a strong leap to the roof across the way. The dark of the night has arrived.
Productive evening. And we're not even done yet.
*Hmmm* "Time to find the old bag before she kicks it again."
The street he lands in is well lit. Really too well lit, with the neon obscuring many shadows by forcing eyes to acclimate to the intensity. Young women dominate the space. They're on arms, they lean against a cooling wall of brick, but most walk in pairs acting coy or giggling to each other to attract a mark.
He sedately walks to an older building that has an awning on either side of the entrance. The lattice fencing obscures sight, and the bustle of the street covers the not-so-soft sighs in those shadows until one passes through the entryway. The desk attendant smiles as through he has invited them to see his secrets.
"What can I get for you darling? I'd know if we've seen someone like you before. So, what would fit your fancy?" He dances his fingers above a sign embedded in the countertop. "I have a feeling you'd really enjoy this one." He points at a line, with a large price mark next to it. However, his expression slowly changes as Chiyo's eyes don't leave his face.
Chiyo smiles and gently places a token on the counter. The engraved spider lilly seems to draw words out of the air. The man looks over his calm face, taking the time to memorize it as he reverently takes the wooden coin. He dips his head and walks to the 'office' door. He places the coin into the slot at its side, where it begins to clink along a path. The wall shudders and opens with a hissing snap. The door hinge folds back against the shared office/hallway wall.The attendant gestures for him to go through. The wall is closed behind him.
The room is darkened, obscuring it's clinically gray walls. Silks drape a path to sit at the low table where the figure twirls the coin. Spider lilly, apple, spider lilly, apple...
"Tell me, for what do you need so badly that you'd use a fertility token facing down?" Her voice is gruff. The smoke in the room tricks the mind to think of tobacco pipes, but the bowl of ash holds the remains of incense. Chiyo walks forward. He kneels on the cushion with his head baring the back of his neck.
"I've never been a kitten, but a pet does always return to the kindest lap."
The coin slips to the floor, rolling under her chair.
"Dear Gods Kit. What have you done?"
...
"Sacrificed the last of my childhood... So that they might have one."