Moving Day

"Ow," Kenji muttered, blinking the cold liquid from his eyes. He raised the eye dropper over his other eye and dripped another squirt. Just like the first time, a sharp stinging pulsed through his face. "Ow." Of all the stupid injures to sustain in a random training incident, he had to get scratched corneas. At least the damage wasn't irrepairable, but he'd be needing these eyedrops every hour for the next week, and even right now everything was blurry.

Of course, after everything he and Kensai had been through just trying to get back to the village, he was happy they were even alive. The next time he was caught outside in a storm, he was surrounding himself in a water bubble and hoping for the best. Better than being sucked into a hurricane. Ugh, these stupid eye drops. Might as well be crying with how his eyes were leaking now.

"Ah, well if that isn't the saddest thing I've ever seen." A pair of firm arms wrapped around him from behind, followed by two softer mounds pressing against his back. The arms squeezed tight--almost a little too tight--as they dragged him into a vice-like hug. "That'll teach you to let your guard down in a thunderstorm. Next time, try to act like a shinobi and not a panicked kid, alright?"

"Megumi...can't...breathe..." When the hold finally released him, he sucked in a deep breath and folded forward. "And would you get out of my bed? It's barely big enough for me."

His sister sighed and rolled out from behind him on the hospital bed--never mind how she had even got in there without him noticicing. "It is a little small, isn't it? Well just think, pretty soon we'll have a nice big bed to share. I think I'll spring for the king sized. More room to roll around in. So how you feeling, anyway?"

"Like my eyes are on fire," he muttered, with several wet blinks. Everything was so foggy, he felt like he was looking through frosted glass. "Medics said I should be able to see clearly by tomorrow at least."

"So you're saying I could flash you right now and you wouldn't even be able to tell? Well that's no fun at all." Megumi chuckled, wrapping an arm around his head to pull him in for another half-hug, enough so that his face smushed straight into one of her breasts. While Kenji mumbled muffled protests into her robe, she looked over to the next hospital bed. "And how's my other favorite student?"

It was all good for Kensai. Well, not exactly, it all felt good with the amount of pain medication they had him on. He was practically in a daze twenty four hours a day and couldn't really keep track of time, unless he looked out the window to determine if it was day or night. "I'm alright Towel-sensei." Was Kensai's drowsy response.

Not only was the boy on a mix of muscle relaxers that would knock out a horse everything from his knees to his nipples was in a cast. He'd undergone six surgeries since they had returned, two to clear debris from inside the wound, and four to fix the damage to his spine. The damage was three heavily cracked lumbar vertebrae, compressing his spinal column to the point that he'd completely lost control of his legs, without the makeshift brace he might have irreparably injured his back.

"I really can't complain, knowing that I'm going to be able to walk again." He admitted, though he'd had a burning statement and question on his mind he wasn't in his right mind to say it. Or to ask the question. He knew that Kenji and Megumi were not in a bad way. But he also didn't want to intrude, he was the self sufficient type, he'd been that way since his village burnt to the ground, it was humiliating to ask for help, and painful. Especially on something that wasn't life threatening.

"You two were definitely lucky, so that's something to be thankful for," Megumi said, tightening her clutch on her brother's head. Kenji started thrashing a little trying to get free, but she didn't let go just yet. "And quite resourceful from what I hear. Did pretty good surviving out there. Good on you, kid. Both of you."

Boy was she laying on the kindness thick. She couldn't help it. He probably wouldn't get full use of his body back, from what she heard. The medics neglected to mention whether or not they'd already told him, which meant if they hadn't then she would have to break the news to him. She really, really didn't want to have to be that person. Poor kid would be crushed.

When Kenji finally pulled free from her grasp, he gaped for air and reached for his eye drops again. "Really, Megumi, not in that kind of mood right now. Eyes are still burning."

With the way she was treating Kenji, Kensai was kinda glad that she wasn't giving him the squeeze, she would literally break him in half. Then again he also felt bad because there wasn't much he could do to distract Megumi as she was aware that she could break him in half if her skin-ship got a little too aggressive, Kenji didn't quite have that disadvantage.

The doctor walked in to check on the two boys. He would look to Kenji and note something on his clipboard then move to Kensai, "How are you doing today Mister Yamamoto?"

"I'm hanging in there Doc." Kensai responded hazily looking the middle aged man up and down, he wasn't a shinobi doctor, but he was a good physician, he was one of the best Post Care Doctors in Hone, and had given Megumi the news about Kensai's chances of being a Shinobi again. He would pull the blanket off Kensai's feet and begin to poke each of the toes looking for a reaction getting one from each poke. "Very good, you're out of the danger zone, with any luck both of you should be out of here tomorrow." He spoke, "Of course under strict home care."

That's last part made Kensai visibly shrink, in his intoxicated state his emotion of dread seemed to seep into the air. The doctor hurriedly scuttled off to the next patients, regarding Megumi with a nod on his way out.

Tell him. Tell him. Tell him. Damn it. Megumi groaned inwardly as the doctor left without mentioning the truth to Kensai about his condition. Okay, not the worst thing. Maybe he already knew. Or maybe this was going to get real awkward sometime in the very immediate future. Well, she'd worry about that later. There were more pressing things to worry about at the moment.

"So, house care... are they supplying you with a live-in nurse or something?" As if that's how it worked. But how else was Kensai supposed to get constant care at home, when he lived by himself. Surely the doctors would know that. Why would they let him leave if they hadn't planned on how to give him further care away from the hospital?

"Megumi-Sensei." Kensai spoke out quickly, as if deciding right at the first syllable that speaking was a bad idea, but completing his thought, and deciding to go with it after he'd called out to her, as though he'd thrown himself off the cliff of this particular conversation. "I-I don't have a home to go back to." He looked away, flush in the face, more so now that he was before, a little angry that he'd have to have this conversation but mostly embarrassed that he had to ask the only people in the village he could rely on for help.

"My landlord sold the building and the new landlord wants to renovate my living space... So I've been evicted." He would continue, with the question at large, "I know its a lot to ask, especially with me being injured, and I know that you guys don't have a very big space right now..." His voice would trail off. "But could I stay with you guys for a little while?"

"You've been what?" Megumi balked, lifting her eyebrows in surprised. Evicted? "Alright, who's the asshole who's kicking out a kid on the streets. I want a name and address so I can pay him a visit and kick his fucking ass up his throat!"

"Megumi! Calm down!" Kenji had to tug at his sister to settle her down, as she'd alright started waving her fists in the air, ready to kill something. "I don't really think assaulting the landlord is going to solve anything. Why don't we just let him live with us? Seems a lot simpler. And less violent."

With a grumble, Megumi pulled her fists back and folded her arms. "Well of course he can live with us. I mean, the bed--apartment---will be plenty big enough to fit three. But that's not the point. It's the principle of it! No good heartless slumlords. Could use a good ass beating."

Looking away in shame and embarrassment, Kensai bit his lip he wasn't sure that Megumi wouldn't actually kill his now ex-landlord. But this was short lived as his Sensei, almost after the fact noted that it'd be okay, as if it had already been discussed at length and agreed upon in contract. Her answer seemed to almost wash over the difficulties of him living with them...

And if his ears hadn't deceived him he would be sharing a bed with the two-some, which made him feel uncomfortable, though he was hoping that the ebony skinned teacher was being more playful than serious when she had mentioned it. The last time that Kensai had shared a bed was when he was in his home village.

Turning his head back around, he put on his best smile, trying to wipe away all of the insecurity he had around such a move, and bade, "Thank you." He'd really had nowhere else to turn and was glad to see that like Kenji had come through for him in the forest, that Megumi had come through for him here, too.

"Hey, don't mention it. What, did you think I'd really let you waste away on the streets? As if. You're my student, after all!" Megumi marched over to Kensai and gave the top of his head a quick brush with her fingers. "Gotta look out for you. Besides, what would that say for me as a teacher if I let one of my students starve, huh?" She added a wink and chuckled. "Fortunately for you, we're due to move in tomorrow afternoon to the new place, so the timing works out perfect. You two just rest up here and I'll handle moving in all our new stuff."

Kenji raised an eyebrow. "How much...new stuff did you buy, exactly?"

"As much as we could afford! Which, by the way, is quite a lot with me new pay raise. No more sleeping on the floor or empty refrigerators! Oh, and the new apartment totally has air conditioning now, so we won't have to die in the summer either."

It was nice to feel Megumi's hand run through his hair, it was also reassuring that she had taken pride in her two students. It seemed like there wasn't even a decision to make, that just like that she had her priorities in order. It made the pale skinned young man happy to have such a teacher, so that he could learn such a mindset.

Air conditioning would be nice, even the orphanage where he'd spent most of his early years didn't have it, though his basement makeshift apartment kept cool in summer there was still no substitute for good AC.

"Jounin must get paid a lot." Kensai mused at his teacher looking up at her with admiration. The only thing that'd held him back was his own insecurity and feelings.

"Excuse me," A word came from the door, it was a Shinobi in the traditional garb of Suna, with a Hone headband holding an envelope. "Hirohata-san. I believe this just arrived at the village for you." On the envelope for all to see was the name MAKARU. When the envelope was taken the Hone shinobi would bow and continue on his way.

When Megumi opened it which she undoubtedly would, on the sheet of paper was a bloody hand print. An obvious challenge. Underneath the hand print there was a short message. "The next time we meet will be your death, then I will kill the man with red hair." A promise in blood.

"Only the good ones," Megumi said, with a knowing wink. Of course, the reason she actually made so much was because of her dealings with Kai, but she wasn't exactly privy to say anything about that. She was almost glad for the change in subject when the messenger arrived, until she noticed who the sender of the letter was. The big name written on the front was easy enough to read. She remained silent as she opened and read it. While one part of her knew to take a threat like this seriously, another part of her couldn't help but roll her eyes and crumple the letter into a ball. Did that bandit scum seriously think he could kill both her and Kai? What an idiot. She half hoped he would try, so she could punt his head off his shoulders.

"Who's the letter from?" Kenji asked, with a careful squint. Everything was still blurry, and he couldn't read the name on the front of the letter.

"No one important," she assured, as she tucked the letter into her gi. "Don't worry about it."

Kensai couldn't make out the name in large letters from across the room, really it was more that he couldn't turn his head to the the right angle to get a good look at the lettering, before watching Towel-sensei, who was really hard to read, take in the contents of the letter before crumbling it and dismissing its author is a nobody. It was a curious reaction, for sure. Though Kensai would take the first step to trusting his teacher and dismissing the letter.

"There isn't much I need from my old living space." Kensai mentioned moving the topic back to moving in, he'd actually got most of his furniture second hand, only his personal hygiene, journal and records. The rest of the shabby furnishings were expendable. As in he'd rather the new landlord clean the place out then move the worthless pieces of half-crafted junk himself.

"Alright, well why don't you make a list for me and I'll pick up everything when I leave here so it'll be ready for the move tomorrow? Didn't really have anything else planned for the day, and you two need your rest." The best part about being a shinobi when it came to moving apartments was that she didn't need to hire any movers or ask for help. All it took was a handful of shadow clones and she'd be able to set up their new apartment in a matter of a couple hours. Sending one to go get Kensai's belongings wouldn't be an issue. "And tomorrow, we can get you both out of here into the new place."

"Sounds fine to me..." Kenji said, as he fell back into his hospital bed and closed his eyes. He really needed to let them rest before they started to burn more. "I feel like I could use a nap anyway."

Kensai was quick to start making a mental list of the few things that he had that were truely important to him. He began to reach for the notepad which he kept nearby, he'd used it to keep track of odd senstations that he'd felt as he got feeling back in his legs. He would quickly fill it out with the few things he'd thought of:

The entire footlocker at the end of my futon.
My Pillow.
The extra pair of shoes next to the locker.
The large plastic folder in the drawer under the kitchen counter.
Toletries can go into a bag on the back of the toliet, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, razor etc.
All of my Shinobi Gear should be in a duffel bag in the closet.

Finishing the list he would pull the paper from its binding and hold it out for Megumi to take.

--

Standing from the bed under what was mostly his own power felt good to Kensai. Though he was instructed to let the nurses help him it wasn't anything to him to pull himself up onto his crutches and breathe deeply feeling all of his body coming into his control again. He felt weak, but he also felt better than he had recently. Standing up he enjoyed the feeling of being vertical again, it was like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

When asked by the nurses, how he was he would dismiss them with simple short okays to alieviate their worries, really even with a much lessened medication he was still feeling pretty good. He would take a moment to gain his balance then pull away from the nurses taking a supported step forward and finishing that declared mostly for himself "Good."

He would look to Kenji and playfully ask. "Okay, how many legs do I have?"

"Very funny," Kenji said, with a mock roll of his eyes. 'Even if I was completely blind, the answer would still be two. Unless they amputated one of your legs."\ Oh wait, they didn't amputate your legs, did they?" Closing his eyes, he reached out and fumbled his arms forward, pretending to be blind. "Oh tell me they didn't take your legs!"

About halfway into his routine, he felt something kick him from behind, causing him to stumble face first forward onto the floor. Damn it. Should have known. Right as he opened his eyes to look upward, he saw Megumi standing over him with a smirk.

"Honestly, you make it too easy," she said. She laughed as she reached down to pick him up, hoisting him back onto his feet with one hand. "Looks like I have perfect timing. Apartment is all set and ready to go. Only thing left to do is go there." Then, she smiled and stretched out her arms, as though thoroughly relaxed. "By the way, you totally have to try the bathtub when you get the chance. It's like a mini jacuzzi. Oh it's amaaazing."

From everything Megumi had said Kensai had liked the apartment already, and he'd not even seen it with his own eyes. He had a little smile when Kenji responded and even more of one when Megumi bowled him over before pulling him back to his feet.

Getting used to moving with crutches was going to be difficult but Kensai had the whole way there to get used to them, he had a lot of therapy to go through, and the doctor had told him about his chances earlier today, that he would likely only get Sixty percent of his mobility back, and that the best he could hope for was eighty. The doctor had also warned him against training or exerting himself for six months. Which while Kensai agreed, it was a non-starter in his book. He would look at his recovery as training. In a way he viewed the experience as starting from the bottom again.

Scrubbing those dire thoughts from his mind Kensai spoke up. "I'm ready, lead on!"

"Right then, let's go!" Megumi exclaimed. As she did, she wound up her hand and smacked Kenji forward on the behind, eliciting a sharp yelp and forcing him to move out the hospital room.

"I'm going, I'm going!" Kenji replied, rubbing the spot where she'd smacked him. He supposed he was lucky she barely put any of her power into it, or he'd likely be lying on the ground unable to sit. "But you have to lead the wayyou know, I have no idea where this place is.

Megumi blinked, holding a finger to her lips. "Oh, huh. I guess you're right. Follow me, then!"

---

The apartment building wasn't too far from the hospital, but it still tok a while to get to, as they had to slow their pace for Kensai on his crutches. Megumi contemplated just picking him up and carrying him there, but he struck as a bit more indpendent than that, so she let him set the pace. When they arrived, it was about nearing mid afternoon. The building itself was one of the largest and most well-off ones in Hone, and certainly where the best apartments were. Theirs in particular was right at the top.

Megumi pushed the door open with an over dramatic "ta da!", leading the way inside. The apartment was about five times the size of their previous one, with a wide open living room right at the forefront, containing all the best modern amenities one could hope for. Nothing like their crappy box apartment they'd been crammed into before. Behind the living room was a kitchen, separated by a long counter. She was sure to show them the way to the massive refrigerator, which was stocked full of fresh food. No more scrounging for dinner anymore.

On the other side of the apartment was the bedroom, which was nearly as large as the living room, containing a single giant king bed in the center. With added canopy for extra glamor. Hardly necessary, but Megumi could afford it now, so she splurged. And of course, attached to the bedroom was the bathroom, which in itself was as large as their old apartment. As she'd introduced before, the tub was a mini jacuzzi, complete with water jets and temperature settings.

Directly next to the bedroom was a smaller room, this one dedicated to training, with walls of shinobi gear, various striking dummies, weight sets, targets, and floor mats. Her own little dojo.

"Well, what do you guys think?" she said, with a big grin. "Pretty sweet, huh?"

Kenji could only hang his jaw, repeatedly staring with bug eyes around the apartment. Holy shit...

It wasn't a long trek and yet Kensai struggled to get there and also struggled to keep from falling down like a clod. He didn't like making Megumi wait to show off her new treasure, their living space. He did his best but was still the last one in the door. However when he got to look inside he was amazed, it was larger than any home he'd ever lived in, even when he was in a house with his family. Everything was so spacious and luxurious. It was more like staying in a five star hotel than it was an apartment.

Continuing in he looked around the apartment as Megumi showed him through the whole way. He was still kind of exerted from the walk and letting it all sink in was going to take some time, but now it seemed that the hard times were over, that he would have a little bit easier life from here on out.

"It's amazing Hirohata-Sensei." Kensai gasped still suffering disbelief at the change of fortune.

"I know, right? Go on, get acquainted with the place. I am going to make us some dinner. A real, quality one." Slapping her hands together with delight, Megumi scampered to the kitchen and began pulling ingredients out of the refrigerator. She had just the right stuff to make some beef ramen. Not that shitty instant crap she used to buy either, no. Now she could afford to make some real ramen, like the stuf down at Sugimoto's Noodle Shop. Not that she'd ever tried making ramen before, but how hard could it be? All she had to do was follow the recipe. And even if she messed up, there was plenty more to try again. Oh, she was so giving Kai an extra special thank you gift the next time she saw him.

While Megumi was busy in the kitchen, Kenji walked around the living room a few times with Kensai, looking everything over. He still couldn't believe they were actually living here. "Dude. I think I might need more of my eye drops because I must be seeing things. This place is amazing."

Kensai was completely blown away, moving even more slowly through the house and taking in every detail as though it would vanish as soon as he closed his eyes. There wasn't a thing that he wanted to miss. He was also slow to move past Megumi who was acting more like a happy housewife than a Master Shinobi, it really didn't fit her. But he couldn't muster the courage to burst her bubble and her happiness.

"Save some for me, cause I see it but I don't believe it." He spoke still a little amazed. Then it struck him, there was only one room and one bed. It would take a little force but Kensai would push that thought form his head and move back to the living room and find a spot on the couch. He'd gotten far more than his daily allotment of physical movement and was starting to feel the strain.

Kenji wandered over to the leather sofa in the center of the room and plopped down on it, sinking into the cushions. Oh wow, that was comfortable. With a pleasant sigh, he reached into his pocket for his eye drops and squirted a couple of drops into both eyes. This was so much better than their old apartment. Whatever Megumi was doing to earn this pay raise, it was definitely worth it.

About twenty minutes later, Megumi called in from the kitchen. "Dinner's ready! Don't be to judgy though, this is the first time I've made it. Might have used a little too much salt." She started pouring servings into separate bowls and sliding them across the counter for the boys to take, then set the pot back on the stove to stay warm. For drinks, she pulled out a pitcher of fresh lemonade.

Kenji wandered over to the counter, sitting at one of the bar stools and taking one of the bowls of beef ramen for himself. He gave it a deep breath through his nose and almost fainted at how delicious it smelled. Way better than the cheap, packets of instant ramen. When he took his first bite, he couldn't help but groan with delight. Maybe there was a little too much salt, but he didn't care. He was in heaven.

When his butt hit the cushion it seemed like Kensai melted into the couch. It was so comfortable, even on his back, which caused him to wince at first before settling into a dull pain. At least the tinging was gone. Soon a haze fell over Kensai which he snapped out of at the dinner call and the smell of food.

At the hospital he'd had two nurses pulling him to his feet. Now he just had him, and whomever he could call for help. But he was an obstinate little fucker and quickly pulled himself to the edge of the couch and pulled his body up to his crutches trying to keep balance, and nearly falling flat on his face through the entire struggled movement, wincing in pain at least twice on his way up.

Standing was the hard part, but as soon as he was upright the white haired boy hobbled his way over to a stool, taking a long look at it before deciding to move it out of the way and stand up at the nook, and eating his food supported by his crutches.

Life was gonna be hard for a little bit.

Megumi watched Kensai closely from the other side of the counter as he made his way over. He was having a difficult time, clearly, but still he didn't ask for any kind of help.She'd have gladly given it if asked, of course, but if he wanted to do it on his own she would certainly let him. She admired that kind of stubborness and independence. Reminded her a lot of herself, in that regard. So, just ate her ramen and waited for him to come over and get his bowl. By that time, Kenji was almost ready for seconds and showed no sign of slowing down. Well, at least she hadn't fucked up the recipe too bad, if he was eating like that.

After everyone had eaten their fill, Megumi gathered up all the dirty dishes and set them near the sink. "Alright, now since I made dinner I think it's only fair the two of you clean up, right? Divide it up however you like between you, but those dishes better be clean when I get back." Then, with a grin, she started marching off towards the bedroom. "I am going to break in our new bathtub."

Kensai wasted no time catching up with Kenji in the amount of Ramen consumed, and at points he might have pulled ahead. He was a growing boy after all. He looked at Kenji when Megumi announced that she was going to take a bath while the two of them cleaned the kitchen.

When he was finished, and felt like he was stuffed Kensai patted his stomach and looked to Kenji, who also looked comically like a beached whale after such a feast. He would issue a belch that would make the empty dishes on the counter clatter for a moment returning to his normal size. Wiping away the little accumulated sweat from his forehead with a napkin Kensai decided how he wanted to divy things up, "I'll take care of the dishes if you clear the counters. And put away the unused ingredients."

With that, he moved around to the sink and began running the water to fill up the sink itself. Unbeknownst to the white haired boy there was an easier way, as the dishwasher was in arms reach, but the boy had never had such a luxury. So he just ignorantly went without.

Having waited a little bit, and how up to his elbows in dish soap bubbles and scrubbing pads Kensai decided to ask a question, now that Megumi was well out of Earshot. "Hirohata-sensei... she isn't really the domestic type is she?"

Kenji looked over from the refrigertaor, busy putting away the containers of leftovers and organizing the other ingredients. "Hmm? Uh, I guess that depends on what you mean by domestic. I mean, she's always been looking after me and caring for me, since as long as I could remember. We never really had a solid home before coming to Hone. She's probably just excited at finally having a decent life for us. I mean, just look at all this."

He gestured around at the apartment, still not entirely sure he believed they were living there. "This is all just a bit new to us. Plus, she seems happy, so I'm not going to question it. Why do you ask?"