AIC chapter 31 progress post

“I'm not mad.”Aiko batted at her desk, suddenly irritated by all the crap on it. A pencil case went flying and sent a spray of writing implements to smack into the wall. It was somewhat satisfying. Not enough. A thud would make her feel better.  

Utakata watched until the last pen had stopped rolling. Then he looked back at her.

She looked away from the stack of books she had been eying to narrow her eyes at him. Aiko crossed her legs at the knees and folded her arms. She dared him to comment. Just fucking try it, buddy.

“Of course not.” He broke eye contact and settled back in his chair in a way that highlighted his truly excellent collarbones. “The timing has taken attention away from our announcement. Perhaps this is a benefit. It would be wise to focus on how we may expand our position in light of this circumstance.”

“Is now the time for your theory about the evils of optimism?” Sanbi asked. He curled his tails up in the foreground of her mind. “Please regale him. I enjoy the outrage it provokes. He will make most satisfying sounds.”

“Don't tell me to have a good attitude,” Aiko said firmly. She pointed at Utakata, deliberately rude. “A moment to grieve lost chances is reasonable and you don't get to police my emotions. You should be upset when something doesn't go to plan. Obviously I can't let it make me less effective, but frustration at being thwarted only goes to show that I am passionate about my work, you rude fuck.” She resisted the urge to punctuate that by tossing a folder at his head. Tsunade's explosive work habits were starting to make a troubling amount of sense to her.

Utakata examined his nails. “An innocent woman has never described herself as being thwarted.”

“Who was talking about guilt and innocence? This attack on your character is irrelevant to the topic at hand.”

'Damn right it is. I don't have time for that pettiness.'

Aiko rolled her eyes. “Ugh.” Then she scoffed for good measure. “Get the fuck out and don't come back until you're ready to pout with me. I refuse to be tricked into a good mood when I have to deal with Jiraiya this afternoon.” She made a sharp, irritated motion gesturing at the door. “Fuck out my fucking office.”

He actually laughed at her, the bastard. Utakata gracefully gathered his things in one motion and swept out of her office. She glowered at his back.

Sanbi hummed. “Did he win that?”  

Aiko buried her face in her hands. “Yes,” she said resentfully.  “Because he gets to go with Gaara to meet the Suna-nin.”

“Could be worse,” Sanbi mumbled comfortingly. “The shinobi of sand are… unsettling.”

She thought about it- glassy eyes and cracking jaws and crevices opening wide to spit poison and metal. “I can't kill all the puppeteers,” Aiko said.  

Sanbi drew back in alarm. “I had actually not asked.”

“I know.” She rubbed at her face and then sat up. “I'm trying to convince myself.”