What would you have done? Kadaj thought, as Kuja asked the question Kadaj had wondered himself, more recently. Battled an ally over a fourteen year old disposable brat you took in out of idle interest? He didn't say it, though, just as he didn't ask what Kuja had expected to happen when he'd left said fourteen year old with something like Orochimaru for more than ten seconds.
It didn't matter any more. Kadaj could see the little tells of anger, more than anger, in Kuja's stance. He'd seen the like before, in smaller ways, when he'd pushed too far, or done something explicitly against instruction. He saw the tensing in Kuja's jaw, and the curled hands, and heard him ask that question, and suddenly Kadaj felt a horrible weight lift off his chest.
He closed his eyes, flooded with relief, before he answered the second question, leaning more easily against the door but breathing like he'd exerted himself in the last few minutes, rather than simply confessed. "He has to put one of his seals on the target," he said, not noticing to correct his use of the present tense, "and then he can transfer himself into their body. It lets him learn kekkei genkai," Kadaj explained, "and when he takes a new body, he has to stay in it for three years before he can use the jutsu again." Kadaj frowned for a moment before adding, "Except it also meant that every three years he had to find another victim. He wanted Kimimaro, but he hadn't been able to cure his sickness yet. I was the back up plan." He shrugged one shoulder, and tried not to be irked by that.
"Tayuya tipped me off," he said, quietly. "I was just going to leave and stay out of his way until he was forced to take someone else, but," he trailed off, again. "It didn't work out that way."
He sighed as he stood up off the door again, and made his way towards Kuja, leaning Kusanagi delicately against the furniture on the way. When he got to Kuja he slipped his hands over Kuja's shoulders until he could fold his arms gently around him and tuck his face in towards Kuja's hair, his eyes closed as he breathed him in for a moment.
"I'm sorry, Kuja," he said, in a whisper. "I should have told you sooner, but I'd never thought there was any way you didn't already know." It hurt to admit that to Kuja, too; that he hadn't trusted him. "I should have known better."
He stood back a little, to look at Kuja, drawing back until his hands were loosely clasped near the back of Kuja's neck. "I'm sorry."
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It didn't matter any more. Kadaj could see the little tells of anger, more than anger, in Kuja's stance. He'd seen the like before, in smaller ways, when he'd pushed too far, or done something explicitly against instruction. He saw the tensing in Kuja's jaw, and the curled hands, and heard him ask that question, and suddenly Kadaj felt a horrible weight lift off his chest.
He closed his eyes, flooded with relief, before he answered the second question, leaning more easily against the door but breathing like he'd exerted himself in the last few minutes, rather than simply confessed. "He has to put one of his seals on the target," he said, not noticing to correct his use of the present tense, "and then he can transfer himself into their body. It lets him learn kekkei genkai," Kadaj explained, "and when he takes a new body, he has to stay in it for three years before he can use the jutsu again." Kadaj frowned for a moment before adding, "Except it also meant that every three years he had to find another victim. He wanted Kimimaro, but he hadn't been able to cure his sickness yet. I was the back up plan." He shrugged one shoulder, and tried not to be irked by that.
"Tayuya tipped me off," he said, quietly. "I was just going to leave and stay out of his way until he was forced to take someone else, but," he trailed off, again. "It didn't work out that way."
He sighed as he stood up off the door again, and made his way towards Kuja, leaning Kusanagi delicately against the furniture on the way. When he got to Kuja he slipped his hands over Kuja's shoulders until he could fold his arms gently around him and tuck his face in towards Kuja's hair, his eyes closed as he breathed him in for a moment.
"I'm sorry, Kuja," he said, in a whisper. "I should have told you sooner, but I'd never thought there was any way you didn't already know." It hurt to admit that to Kuja, too; that he hadn't trusted him. "I should have known better."
He stood back a little, to look at Kuja, drawing back until his hands were loosely clasped near the back of Kuja's neck. "I'm sorry."
But I'm stronger for it.