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ᗰOᑎᔕTEᖇ	By : Sessakag Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female > Naruto/Hinata Views: 44706 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Chapter Forty-Five
Secret

May 13, 2010

Naruto rolled over, yawning quietly as he did. Drowsy, his tender blue orbs opened. Sunlight streamed through the blinds, stinging his throbbing eyes and irritating him in the process. He gave them a rub, then glanced at the woman sleeping soundly next to him. The sheer negligee was pushed up over her plump bottom, leaving her pale skin and boundless curves naked to his hungry gaze. His head was hurting, and his body held a couple twinges, even so, the contemplating blonde was tempted to ignore his discomfort and soothe his hurts in the healing heat between her thighs. Had this been any other morning after a night of excess, he’d have done just that, hangover and all, however, as he much as he wanted to rouse her, there were more important things he needed to do that superseded his desire to assuage his carnal craving.
Glum, he reached out, slid the sheet over her before rising and trudging into the bathroom.
He gave himself a once over in the mirror.
His cheek was bruised, there was a cut over his right eyebrow, his bottom lip was slightly swollen and a big bruise had bloomed along the left side of his ribs.
She’d know the moment she saw him that he’d been in a fight.
And the moment she did, he’d have a million questions tossed at him about it, inquires that he refused to flat out lie about.
He rubbed his aching forehead.
He couldn’t tell her what had transpired last night, and to be honest, he didn’t want to tell her.
How the hell could he?
He wasn’t afraid she’d call off the wedding and go running to Kiba. The very idea was laughable, no matter what man he placed in that scenario. Kiba, Adonis, God himself, Hinata wouldn’t look twice, they’d be as interesting as dust particles to his Princess.
No, what he wanted to avoid was the scenario the Inuzuka feared his confession would result in.
Ruining her relationship with her close friend and teammate. Without a doubt, Naruto knew she wouldn’t take the news well. Sweetheart that she was, Hinata wouldn’t make the Inuzuka feel bad or even cut off their friendship due to his feelings, however, she’d feel…uncomfortable. Unsure and hesitant as to how she should behave towards him now that she knew. Even if she tried her best to pretend as though nothing had changed between them, her tiptoeing and unease would create tension and strain despite her efforts, and that was just accounting for her nature and temperament. Factoring in Kiba’s volatile personality into the equation…it was a recipe for disaster.
His sensitive fiancée would even feel guilty that she hadn’t known all this time, the way Naruto had felt guilty for not realizing her feelings.
He didn’t want that for her.
He didn’t want her to worry.
Keeping his…situation quiet was probably for the best…
A grimace crossed his face.
Making that call, however, was a problem in and of itself.
He’d essentially be keeping a secret from her, and he had never done that since they’d become a couple. Not once. They told each other everything. They shared everything, but in this situation, was it wrong for him to keep his mouth shut? Protecting her feelings…he’d do anything to shield her from emotional hurts, but was silence about this out of line?
Was it even his place to confess that her closest friend had loved her years ago and was still pining for her now or was it Kiba’s responsibility to admit that to her?
He didn’t know.
It felt…wrong not telling her.
It felt wrong to tell her.
He needed time to think.
To figure out what was the right thing to do. He needed to come to terms with his own jealousy, because, even if he was iffy about coming clean to her, he could at least be straight with himself. He was still bristling about his friend’s feelings for her. This wasn't a fucking harmless crush. The feral nin was in knots over it. He understood it wasn’t his fault, that Kiba had been trying to do the right thing for a really long fucking time, but goddammit, it fucking bugged him. Looking at the Inuzuka, interacting with him, all the while knowing that the other man loved his Princess the way he did, desired her as he did, thought about sharing a life with her as he did…how was he not supposed to feel, at the very least, uncomfortable about it?
How was he supposed to behave around Kiba now?
Was he supposed to pretend last night had never happened?
Because he couldn’t.
It had happened. They had both said what they said and meant it. They had both thrown punches and meant the sentiment behind them. And since he was being honest with himself, he could admit that they might even come to blows again. Pretending the big pink elephant wasn’t stampeding around the room was an exercise in futility.
There was no going back to the bliss of ignorance.
The only way forward was forward.
What ‘forward’ encompassed was the real mystery.
Did that include the woman asleep in his bed, or just the two men that desired her?
He sighed and closed his eyes, reaching out to the mental space he shared with his friend.
‘Kurama.’
It was all head to say. He knew Kurama had been privy to his internal struggle. He waited a beat, wondering if his pseudo guardian would do what he was quietly asking. Then, he felt a familiar heated suffuse his body. His eyes opened, and he watched with no small measure of guilt as the remnants of last night’s combat disappeared from his skin. When it was over, he felt…uncomfortable, the sensation made sharper by the poignant disapproval that thrummed through his connection with the fox spirit.
It felt the way he imagined a father scolding his child would.
‘I know,’ he told the bijuu that had yet to utter a word of opposition, ‘this doesn’t mean I’ve decided not to tell her what happened, I just need time to figure out what the hell I should do first. I don’t wanna stress her out if I don’t have to. After all the shit she’s been going through with her chakra, and her family, this is the last thing she needs to deal with right now. Its bad enough my head’s fucked up about it, there no reason to fuck hers up too, at least not right now, and letting her see these bruises on top of it…At the very least I need another chance to talk to Kiba before I open my mouth,‘ttebayo.’
He also wanted to speak to Shikamaru. The self proclaimed peace keeper in this conflict had known what was going on with Kiba way before last night. Maybe he could give him some advice, help him figure out what his next move should be even before he sat down to hash shit out with Kiba.
‘You gave me access to your thoughts and reasoning, attempting to justify your point of action to me is wasted energy, Naruto.’
He sighed.
‘Well I was trying to add more context, you clearly think it was a bad idea to do this.’
‘Hinata is your female,’ Kurama drawled, ‘you know her best. What you choose to do in this situation is your decision. I have no sentiment about your relationship drama.’
The exasperated Jinchuuriki resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Why Kurama had such a hard time admitting to his thoughts and feelings was beyond him. The two beings shared a mental space, Naruto experienced the fox’s emotions and vice versa. Sometimes it was hard to tell who was feeling what, so fused was their inner selves. Neither one of them could really hide what went on inside their heads, instead, they relied on a unspoken agreement to respect each other’s privacy as much as possible. Even so, bijuu and Uzumaki wouldn’t hesitate to call each other out on their bullshit.
Like he was doing now.
‘You say that, but it feels like the opposite. That feeling didn’t come from me.’
‘I am a bijuu, kid. I have little comprehension or understanding of human emotions, or the lengths you creature go to in an effort to protect each other’s…feelings. My disapproval was generic, devoid of any personal opinions on your decision to withhold information from her.’
Naruto wasn’t buying it.
‘We both know that’s bullshit. You felt like that because you care about her too.’
‘Hmph.’
‘You answer her when she calls you,’ the blonde pointed out, ‘you never answer anybody else besides me. My students, my friends, even the Hokage talk to you directly and you never answer. You don’t even have a passing thought about acknowledging them even though I’ve told you before if you ever wanna talk to anyone then let me know and you can take over. You don’t, not for them. The only person you’ve taken over to talk to is Hinata. You let her talk you into watching movies and trying tea. You never yell at her for waking you up, and you’ve never insulted her even though you think she’s as crazy as I am for calling you apart of our family. You’re seriously gonna tell me you do all that just for the shits and giggles? That you don’t care about how she’d feel if you flat out ignored her or turned her down when she tries to spend time with you?’
‘You’re reading to much into it,’ Kurama grunted, ‘Your woman is a persistent female. Humoring her antics is this quickest way to curb her incessant nagging about being ‘family’, otherwise I’d never be able to sleep in peace.’
‘Oh please, you can sleep through anything,’ he huffed, ‘not to mention, when I bug you, seems like you can ignore me just fine, even though I’m louder and more annoying than she could ever be. Ignoring her should be a piece of cake considering your best trait is your ability to tune out everyone and everything. You flat out yell at me when I ‘nag’ you but it’s never even crossed your mind to do it to her. You weren’t even that put out when she first started talking to you. You absolutely care about her and her ‘human’ feelings. That’s why you don’t snap at her and why you’re not too keen on the plan for this whole Kiba thing. That’s why you get that warm feeling when she includes you in stuff, or asks how you are. You’re not confused about our human emotions, you just don’t wanna admit to caring about us the way we do you, dattebayo.”
They kyuubi scoffed but offered no denial or rebuttal.
‘Deny it all you want, but that’s not the only time I sensed your feelings towards her. When she was having that chakra scare, I couldn’t separate your worry from mine. We both felt the same way. I don’t know why you get all flustered about it, this is the way it’s supposed to be in a family, and that’s what we are,’ he finished, crossing his arms, ‘so, like I said earlier, this doesn’t mean I’m not gonna tell her, so you can lay off with the disapproving silence, ‘ttebayo. Give me some time to sort this out.’
“Good morning, Naruto-kun.”
The quiet greeting snapped him from his internal conversation. He turned to the sleepy woman stepping through the doorway, yawning behind one dainty little hand. Pushing the brewing drama from his mind and hopefully his face, he reached for her, laid a kiss to her mouth then grinned.
“Morning Princess.”
They meandered through their morning routine; washing up from last night’s love session, brushing their teeth, and getting dressed for the day.
He threw on sweats, grabbed a white shirt with his whirlpool Uzumaki crest on the back, then sat on the bed and watched her search the closet for some frilly dress he’d be taking off of her the moment he got the chance. She found today’s attire; a soft, baby blue sweater dress, another of his picks from the store, and slid the door closed. She hung it on the notch above the closet and walked over to the dresser. She rummaged through her undergarment compartment, quietly contemplating the abundance of silky lace that drove him crazy for two polar opposite reasons. On the one hand, he loved seeing the tiny bits straining over her generous endowments, but contrary to that, when he was horny and impatient, the enticing lace got in his way of attaining the only medicine that could ease his ache.
Today’s cock tease was stark white with a little pink bow at the top of the panties and in between the cups of the bra.
The first whispers of arousal coursed through him as his favorite part of Hinata peeping began. The fluffy white towel wrapped around her body dropped to the floor. Quite familiar, and long since accepting of yet another of his perversions, Hinata moved unhurriedly. Threading her arms through the bra straps before reaching back to fasten the clasp. She grabbed the bottoms and bent over to step into them, unbothered by her enraptured audience of one. With her long dark hair contained in a sloppy bun, the unobstructed view was more than breath taking.
She pulled the lace up and over her plump derrière then released the sides with a resounding snap he loved. Watching her dress was an erotic affair he never missed a chance to indulge in. Today was no exception, headache and all. His head wasn’t pounding bad enough to forego the show…however, he didn’t plan on letting it continue a minute longer.
He got up when she reached for her dress.
Opening the medicine cabinet, he grabbed a white bottle, shook two tablets out then put the container back. Hinata had just finished straightening her bun when he returned.
“How’s your head?” she asked as they wandered into the kitchen.
“Not as bad as I was expecting,” he replied, grabbing a cup and filling it with water.
He popped the two white tablets in his mouth and washed them down. She giggled as she went through the motions of preparing breakfast.
“It’s been a while since you and the guys got together for drinking and…tree climbing,” she noted through mirth, “I half expected Shikamaru and Choji would have to drag you through the front door again.”
Had he finished off the brown liquid that night they definitely would’ve.
Following Kiba’s angry retreat, he’d drank until the bottle was nearly empty. His memory was patchy after that. He remembered the guys talking to him about what had happened, about the fight and his temper, but the exact words eluded him. In the course of the discourse, someone had grabbed the liquor from him, and his muddled brain had been to sluggish to realize it. Lee had walked him home and left him fumbling at the front door. He’d staggered the way of his own volition, but an escort had definitely been warranted.
“Lee had to walk me home, but I used my own legs the entire way, dattebayo.”
“Congratulations,” she teased, “though, according to you, the only good party is one that requires being carted home afterwards, so by your logic, the get together was lack lusters since you were sober enough to walk. Even so, did you have a good time drinking with the guys?”
He frowned, thoughts drifting back to last night.
No.
He hadn’t had a good time.
From the moment Kiba had let slip his dark secret, everything before it was forever eclipsed in it’s shadow.
“Naruto-kun?”
The soft vocalization of his name roused him from his thoughts. Looking both concerned and curious, his pretty Princess stared back at him with a question in her eyes, her pearlescent orbs meticulously tracing his face.
He knew why.
She sensed something was off with him. Just as he was deeply in tune with her moods and body language, she too was aware of his.
“What’s wrong?”
He pursed his lips and reached for a distraction.
“Did you have fun last night?” he questioned, “and if you did, what kinda fun, huh?”
He’d meant to probe about the entertainment at her bachelorette party and if any of it included the half naked male kind, but the moment her face turned the shade of a ripened tomato, he knew what was coming.
He knew he was in trouble.
“B-Bottom up, f-face down, that’s my Princess’ style!” she squeaked.
Naruto strained, with everything within him, to hold back the hilarity threatening to erupt from his mouth. He remembered those words and all the others he’d written on those cards. That one, however, was a different breed, separate from the others.
In a league of its own to be honest.
“Now Princess…” he began with trembling lips, holding his hands up in mock surrender, “I was only following Ino’s instructions to be honest when answering the questions…and I think you meant ‘ass up, face down’, ‘ttebayo.’
“N-N-N-Naruto-kun!” she admonished, cheeks burning.
He knew she didn’t curse. Despite having no issue with his foul mouth, he had never heard her utter a single profanity, nothing close to it, in all the years he’d known her.
In fact, he’d probably keel over if he ever did.
“I was fine with honesty, but y-you didn’t have to be s-so…so explicit about that it,” she stuttered, “T-they think I’m some kinda p-pervert now!”
He lost it. Roaring with laughter, Naruto bent double, imagining her face when the card was read. He knew he was only making the hot water he was currently in even hotter, but he couldn’t help it. He loved teasing her, he loved seeing her all flustered and cute.
“Didn’t we…agree,” he wheezed, “the other night…that you are?”
“They didn’t need to know too!” she squealed, burrowing her hot face in her hands.
He sucked in air, hoping to stem the new mirth brewing at her words.
“My secret is out now, Ino knows it’s not just you now,” she mumbled.
He chuckled, then wrapped his arms around his blushing fiancée.
“She probably already knew that before last night,” he grinned, “at least now you don’t have to make an excuse when you’re late to stuff.”
She deflated with a sullen sigh, disengaged from his embrace and went back to making breakfast. A pang filled his chest.
Now he felt bad about it.
He wrapped his arms around her again.
“I’m sorry Hinata,” he murmured against her ear, “forgive me?”
She sighed quietly.
He tested her neck for weakness.
“Please?” he coaxed, pressing his lips to soft skin.
That cute little pout held firm.
He tried the delicate curve of her jaw.
“I’m really sorry, sweetheart.”
Not even a tremble.
He zoned in on a well documented, well loved spot right at her nape.
“Hinata?” he cooed, “please forgive me Princess.”
Satisfaction unfurled the moment he felt her tremor. He kissed her again, lips laden with contrition.
“You know my dirty mind get’s me into all kinda trouble,” he murmured, “that question just…got me all stirred up. I couldn’t help but relive every time we made love in that position and remember what I love about fucking you in it.”
Lust churned low in his groin.
“How you bounce your ass back and scream my name in the pillow when you really start to feel good…” he whispered huskily, pressing his hard cock to the plush buttocks in question, “how you squeeze my dick so hard I gotta stop and breathe to keep from cumming…”
He tasted her skin, sliding his tongue along that sensitive curve before sucking softly. A breathy moan was his response.
“I swear I could hear you moaning while I read that question, I could feel you shaking beneath me,” he confessed honestly, shamelessly, “and I got a little carried away, dattebayo.”
He’d gotten more than carried away. Turned on and itching to get his hands on the woman that wasn’t even in the apartment but still had him hard and sweating, he’d contemplated taking the edge off with a hollow orgasm coaxed by his lonely hand. Jiggling keys and a familiar, ‘I’m home Naruto-kun’ had unknowingly offered the horny Jinchuuriki salvation. He was on her the moment she walked through the archway, thankful she wore dresses. Not a single protest from her. Familiar with his frequent carnal attacks, his perfect other half reveled in them and with a single kiss, she’d been as swept up in the whirlwind of lust right along side him. He’d fireman carried her to their bedroom, stripped her down and fucked her ass up, head down atop their previously neatly made bed.
“Can I make it up to you?” he asked, sliding his hands up.
He cupped her breasts, squeezed, then tugged on the hard points beneath the softness of her dress. Seduction aside, he really was remorseful. As amusing as it must have been, he knew he’d embarrassed her greatly with his shenanigans. All in good fun, and the memories were sure to be precious later, but until that distant future arrived, he knew his lover had every right to pout about being put on the spot. She wasn’t mad at him, that much he knew, in fact, she had never been mad at him, but sulky Hina made an appearance every once in a while.
Like now.
“I feel bad,” he whispered truthfully, “let me make it up to you?”
She nodded, breath hitching.
She was familiar with his carnal attacks, and equally used to his carnal apologies. Whether he was touching her or not, he was always sincere when he told her he was sorry.
Like he was now.
He reached for her hands, placed them on the counter, then bent her forward with gentle pressure at her back.
“Hold on,” he instructed.
He raised her dressed, slid her panties down, then lowered himself to the floor. Sliding between her open legs, he settled his back to the kitchen counter, straightened and brought his gave level with her sensitive clit. Excitement thrumming through his veins, mouth watering with anticipation, Naruto ran his hands up and down the back of her legs. Tender skin, pliant flesh, the hinting of muscle along her limbs, the insistent ache in his loins bloomed. He could hear her breathing harshly already, the scent of her own excitement filling his nostrils.
He leaned forward and traced her glistening nub with his tongue, tasting and savoring the warm arousal coating the delicate button.
“Naruto,” she gasped.
Fusing his lips to her clit, he sucked softly, rolled his tongue, then sucked again. Air left her lungs in a rush, her legs stiffening as he did it again.
A sweet, tortured moan filled his ears.
He reached for her naked cheeks, groping the pliant globes before smacking both.
She arched, a mewl leaving her throat.
“Naruto,” she whispered, “again…please-”
He gave it to her again, his hands landing a touch harder. It turned him on, the sound of pleasure that left her throat upon impact. He reached for his sweats and tugged them down as he swirled his wet appendage over and around her clit. She trembled, sucking in several breaths then releasing them in long, loud moans that felt like a caress to his balls. He settled into a gentle suckle as he pumped his dick from tip to base and back again. Bliss slithered up his spine and settled hard in his abdomen.
Cunnilingus was as deliciously addicting as Frenching her mouth.
The heady scent, her shrill cries and clutching hands were an aphrodisiac that strained his control faster than he’d like. He couldn’t pinpoint why exactly why it threw his body in to chaos when tongued her sensitive bud, nor did he really care.
He liked it.
She liked it.
What was there to question?
He licked her again, humming his contentment as he circled her button.
He flicked his tongue quickly, drawing a moan from and moisture from the woman above him. He slid his fingers inside, thrusting slow and deliberate in stark contrast to his tongue.
“Naruto,” she gasped, shuddering.
He stoked his cock, lungs heaving as he pleasure them both. Twining his tongue, he lapped her silky flesh with the focus and thoroughness he paid her mouth when kissed her mouth. Her insides milked his fingers, coating the working digits in a fresh layer of arousal.
She sagged, thighs trembling, her shapely legs seconds from collapsing.
He reached for her, pulled her down and aligned their sexes in one smooth motion. He filled her, eyes closing as her wet pussy sang its happiness with hard contractions. Lifting her dress higher, he slapped both hands against her rounded buttocks, relishing the resounding smack and hitched breath. Wrapping her arms around his neck, his beautiful fiancée initiated a quick paced ride, sucking hickeys on his neck as she bounced in his lap. The meeting of their genitals blowing rational thought from his mind. Merciless bliss flayed his skin each time her plump bottom met his groin.
He closed his eyes, lips parting as a groan left his throat.
Her tongue on his neck, her scent in his mouth, the hot friction at his sex…
Up and down, the rolling of her hips beneath his hands…
He was careening towards climax, faster than he normally would and had no desire to stop it’s blazing approach. He was ready and waiting, straining towards his fiery end. He sucked in air, squeezing his closed eyes tighter as the warning signs of orgasm blasted his brain. His toes curled, fingers gripping the hips beneath them while he awaited sweet destruction.
She stopped abruptly, snapping him from nirvana with the sharpness of a blade.
He panted, opening his eyes, mouth poised to question why she’d stopped him so close to climax when he felt her lips at his throat. Kissing, laving, sucking hard as her fingers whispered through his short lacks. He shuddered, closing his eyes as he felt the lust inducing grip of her teeth. She squeezed him inside, slowly…deliberately.
His breath hitched, a grimace laced with agonizing rapture crossing his face in time with each contraction.
He knew what was happening.
Punishment.
The price for his outlandish answers had arrived, and he knew he was in for it considering he’d given her more restraint and will to resist culmination with his earlier make-out session with her pretty little clit.
Fuck.
It was his own fault…
Him and his damn mischievous nature.
She rose lazily, the slow, wet drag drawing a groan from his throat. Her return to his lap was just as agonizing. His fingers tightened at her hips, jaw flexing as his body hovered over exquisite torment.
“Hinata,” he breathed, shuddering as she did it again.
Plush lips meshed his, a cute tongue liked his the seam between them before delving inside. His torment began a new. He held on as she rode him hard and fast, her dripping sex flexing around his cock. Naruto grunted, the sound pained and desperate.
His body ached, his muscles were wound tight, and the pressure in his balls was nearly unbearable.
She stopped, forcing the air from his lungs in the process.
He bit his lip, struggling at the precipice just before ejaculation.
He was shaking.
But so was she.
Trembling like a leaf in a hurricane, her claw curled fingers digging into the fabric of his shirt. She was as close as he was, maybe even further along. He could feel her tightening around him, internally and externally. Her thighs clenched together, her grip turned bruising, and her pearly whites found his shoulder
A muffled, high pitched whimper left her throat as her lush body seized abruptly, her spine bowing as she orgasmed.
It caught him off guard, but quickly sucked him under, ripping his own climax from him. He arched beneath her, thrusting his hips up twice before joining her in mindless ecstasy. Hot fluid left his aching cock in a heady rush that left him dazed and so damn relived he banged the back of his head on the kitchen counter as his tensed muscles eased.
He didn’t feel the bump, nor did he care.
He felt way too good right now, and had neither the energy nor interest to worry about something as unimportant as the back of his head.
Their harsh breathing filled the room, their bodies quaking in the aftermath of shared passion.
“Now I forgive you,” she sighed breathlessly at his ear, before placing a kiss to his flesh below.
He grinned.
“Thanks sweetheart,” he puffed, nuzzling her neck, “I promise I’ll behave for a little while.”
She sat up sluggishly, her pretty eyes soft and sated, her lush mouth swollen and tempting. She looked well loved and as cuddly as a kitten. He leaned forward, unable to help himself. His kiss was tender and gentle, filled with the gentle intensity in his chest.
“Seriously,” he muttered against her lips once he’d had his fill, “I’m sorry I embarrassed you, Hinata.”
She shook her head, smooched him back before releasing his lips.
She gave him a rosy cheeked smile.
“It’s okay, Naruto-kun,” she told him, “even though your…colorful answers had me fighting to stay conscious and trying my hardest to figure out what shade of pink was on the wall, they were really funny, and I had a really good time because of them.”
She traced the whiskers along his right cheek, then smoothed her caress down to the half heart lying on his shirt.
“Besides,” she continued softly, “your last answer more than made up for the rest.”
She was teary eyed as she pressed her forehead to his, her fingers tracing the hardness of his jawline.
“Your answer to the only question I got wrong,” she whispered.
Tenderness filled his heart. He knew what questions she was referring to.
“I’ll always regret it, Hinata,” he repeated.
For the rest of his life he’d bemoan that wasted time, that absent mindedness that had hurt her for so long.
She smiled big, those tears overflowing.
“Even though it took a little while for you and I to happen, to me, it was all worth it to be here in this moment. I have never been happier in my entire life,” she confessed, “I love you.”
“I love you more,” he murmured, silencing her coming denial with his lips.
Reaching down, he hooked her thighs and stood, carting her with him across the kitchen, their bodies still fused.
“Not done making it up to you,” he told her, a grin curving his lips, “let’s go out for breakfast at your favorite restaurant, then you can cart me around wherever you want all day long and I’ll buy you all the cinnamon buns you can eat. Today is Pamper the Princess day, dattebayo.”
An hour later, he sat stiff and uncomfortable in a plush chair, his mischievous fiancée quietly giggling next to him.
Blonde brow twitching, Naruto watched the woman across from him struggle with her own mirth as she worked.
Well…
He had said she could cart him wherever she wanted today…
And he had promised to fulfill her every wish for pulling that stunt with the game…
But he doubted this current situation had anything to do with pampering his Princess…
This felt like Hina revenge part two…
“We also provide hand care products and massages,” the beautician offered cheerfully as she filled his nails, “just one session can help smooth these rough callouses.”
His eye joined the twitch.
“Uh, no, this’ll be fine for today,” he said, “just the…nails.”
His wife-to-be snorted beside him.
This was the last time he pulled a stunt like last night again, at least for a little while. Sitting in a nail salon getting a manicure alongside the women of Konoha was a punishment he hadn’t seen coming, nor wanted to repeat. Harmless fun, just like his outrageous answers, but it’d be a while before he could visit this memory with the amusement his woman viewed it with.
The various tools the woman used hurt like a bitch.
Clipping his nails had felt weird and unpleasant.
Filing and buffing made him grit his teeth.
Pushing back his cuticles had been a little slice of hell.
It boggled his mind that women paid to have this horrible torture done, willingly, happily!
He couldn’t wait to get the fuck outta here!
He’d pay extra to never come back!
He didn’t know what else was included in a manicure and didn’t wanna know. He was hoping this was it, but as he eyed the colorful nail polish behind the beautician, he couldn’t help the sweat beading his forehead.
Surely she wouldn’t…
He glanced at his lover, taking in the twinkle in her lavender eyes.
xxxxxx
It was dark, the sun less than two hours from rising, but inside the Hokage tower, the light were as bright as the missing fireball.
“Find Kiba, Ino and Botan,” the white haired leader instructed the Anbu, “have them gather the others. Inform them of the urgency of this summons.”
The masked man was gone in a flash.
Kakashi looked over the scroll again, dark eyes narrowing. What had started off as routine mission update had devolved into something more sinister. Smeared across the neat, legible dark ink that the Anbu had begun transcribing was a hastily scrawled missive.
The message was short and chilling.
Geographical coordinates and one word, written in blood;
Help
xxxxxx
Pounding at the door jarred him right from his peaceful slumber. Naruto groaned, unwinding himself from the woman in his arms. Dull lavender peered through the darkness, drowsy and questioning as they met his.
“I got it,” he murmured, placing a kiss to her head before slinking from bed.
He was just throwing his sweats on when the banging started again, just as loud, more insistent. Concerned, Naruto padded through their dark apartment at a clipped pace. Whoever it was didn’t matter, Naruto knew it had to be pretty important. Not once had a urgent knock in the dead of night been unwarranted.
He reached the door, threw it open and came face to face with the last man he’d expected.
“Yeah I know, shit is awkward between us right now,” Kiba rushed to say, “save it. Wake Hinata. We gotta mission and we need to leave right now. Hokage-sama wants you to come too. Hurry up, its really important.”
That said, the feral shinobi turned and strode away.
Naruto moved without hesitation.
He closed the door, stowed the ‘awkwardness’ for a later date and returned to the bedroom. Hinata was up already, tiredly rubbing her eyes as he flipped the light on.
“Naruto-kun?”
“Mission, sweetheart,” he told her, opening their closet, “both of us need to report to the tower.”
Not another question was asked. She rose, and moved towards. He held out her mission gear to her. She took the clothes, laid them on the bed then waited for the last items. He grabbed her sleeveless mesh shirt, handed it to her, before shrugging into his own long sleeved mesh. They dressed quickly and quietly, grabbed their ninja tool pouches, restocked, then headed out.
They moved silently through the sleeping village, jumping from rooftop to rooftop across the darkened buildings of Konoha. The couple reached the tower in minutes and moved with purpose to the Hokage’s office door. Naruto knocked, waited for permission to enter, before opening the door. Once his fiancée cleared the entrance, he shut the door behind him and took in the faces in the room.
Kiba, Lee, Choji, Sai, Ino and a few other shinobi he didn’t know by name but recognized by face stood at attention in front of the white haired Rokudaime.
“Now that everyone is here, let me explain the situation. Naruto, I was planning on sending you out in the morning for your mission, but in light of the information I’ve received, it was more convenient to have you come now. We’ve received word from Gaara concerning your discovery in Suna, and have been granted permission to send you and a team to re-investigate the site. We’ll discuss the details in a moment.”
He gestured to the two shinobi he didn’t know by name, along with his friends.
“You’ll be heading the team to Suna. Choji, Sai, Ino, Lee, Fuyuko, and Botan will be teaming with you.”
His blonde brows creased.
He was both anticipating and dreading the mission. That deserted battleground had been a little slice of hell for him and Kurama, and though he didn’t want to take the chance of experiencing it again, he knew it was their best bet to find answers.
However, that wasn’t what had him curious.
There were enough people here for a second team. Were Hinata and the others a part of this mission too?
“Those under Naruto’s team, step out a moment,” Kakashi prompted, “except for you Naruto.”
His newly formed team filed out of the room, leaving him with even more questions.
“Now,” their leader continued, “Kiba, Enmei, Hinata, you three will be heading out to a different location. A few minutes ago, I received a message from an Anbu sent to relive Shino Aburame of his duty.”
Naruto straightened, his attention sharpening.
“During his monitoring of Shukaku, Shino remained in regular contact but sometime before the rendezvous with the Anbu, he was injured. The Anbu found him a day later. From what was reported, Shino is drifting in and out of consciousness and sustained an injury to his esophagus. He was being cared for in route to Konoha by the Anbu. Half an hour ago, we we received an S.O.S,” Shikamaru explained, “a scroll containing an incomplete status report was carried here by a messenger bird. The word help and coordinates were smeared in blood across it.”
Stomach clenching, Naruto worked to tamp down his own concern as he listened. Hinata gasped softly at his side, an aura of tension and worry emanating from her form. As much as he wanted to reach out and give her comfort, he didn’t dare do so in their current setting, at least not in front of the lone shinobi not among their inner circle.
“At some point during their return to Konoha, based on the scroll we’ve received, it’s safe to assume they were attacked. By who or what, we can only speculate. Hinata, Kiba, you two are Shino’s teammates, your tracking skills are also impeccable, with these two factors, I have no doubt you will be thorough in the execution of this mission. Enmei,” Shikamaru said, gesturing to the man standing next to Kiba, “is a medical shinobi trained by Sakura herself. He’ll be acting as main medic for Shino and the Anbu if necessary. I know you’re also proficient in Iryō Ninjutsu, Hinata, but I’ll need you to remain focused on keeping an eye out for adversaries. Returning Shino Aburame and the Anbu is of top priority, do not engage an enemy if you can avoid it.”
She nodded, a determined glint to her pale eyes.
“Hinata, you’ll be heading this team,” the Rokudaime, announced,“however, I’ll need to speak to both you and Naruto before you begin the search.”
Naruto knew what was about to be discussed and he had mixed feelings about it.
“Kiba, Enmei, if you’ll excuse us.”
When the door closed, dark eyes met serious blue as he spoke again.
“It’s been a week since your last report regarding her chakra, the next one is scheduled seven days from now, however, current circumstance won’t allow us to wait. I’ll need that update now.”
“Her chakra’s stable,” Naruto reported, “Normal actually, I can’t even sense the other ones anymore. All I feel is her chakra but magnified, dattebayo.”
Kakashi nodded before swinging his gaze to the woman in question.
“Hinata?”
“My control isn’t quite comparable to what it was before Hamura’s transfer, I still have trouble judging how much chakra to use and I haven’t quite established a new baseline for my jutsu, but it’s nothing I can’t handle, Hokage-sama,” she told him honestly, “I no longer experience any strange sensations molding chakra. The only abnormality that lingers is my ability to feel Naruto’s chakra, it’s remained consistent since it first began. Outside of that, I feel normal.”
“Good enough,” the white haired leader said with a nod, “I’m approving you for this mission, afterwards, depending on how your control and mental state, I’ll be adding you back to the transcribing rotation as well as active duty.”
“Yes sir.”
“Naruto-”
“Can I say something to Hinata before you send us out?” the blonde asked.
His brows creased in confusion, but his former teacher nodded.
Hinata turned to him, her expression curious.
He had an audience, but it was an inner circle audience, and although, since becoming a jonin in charge of three members of the next generation, he generally maintained professionalism when on the clock, Naruto was still Naruto. Professionalism was more of a conscious choice rather than a requirement in his life. It was hardly the proper for forum, but he had to say this if he was gonna be able to do what he needed to do, and let her do what she needed to do. For his own peace of mind, for his own sanity, they had to have a conversation life events had pushed to the background.
“I’ve been meaning to yell at you for throwing yourself in front of that jubokko that day. I still want to…You saved an entire village but that’s was reckless, if you hadn’t had that power…” his jaw flexed.
He pushed the thought down in the tiny box he kept all her brushes with death in. He wouldn’t be able to let her go or focus on his own mission if he allowed himself to be sucked beneath the horror of it.
“I know you can handle yourself, we’ve been working hard and you haven’t had any relapses. Promise me though, promise me you won’t just…throw yourself in harms way like that again. Promise me you’ll take my heart into consideration before you think about doing something like that. I’d never survive losing you,” he told her honestly, “you know that, ‘ttebayo. Please, don’t…”
Please don’t risk your life.
“I won’t be reckless,” she promised, “we’ll rescue Shino-kun and I’ll be back safe and sound.”
No matter what she promised, he would worry about her until she returned safe and whole in his arms. He worried before she’d come back traumatized from her last mission and he worried even more so after.
Even so.
Having her make that vow, he knew she’d take it seriously and it brought him comfort.
“Promise me the same, Naruto-kun, Kurama.”
The fox spirit received her concern with his normal, dignified silence, though, Naruto could feel that he was listening. Proof of that arose when he felt the fox’s exasperated sigh…and his quiet acquiescence.
Warmth bloomed in both their hearts.
“We promise.”
“Now that that’s settled,” Kakashi interrupted, “Naruto, call your team back in for a briefing, Hinata, tell your team to pack their belongs and head for these coordinates immediately.”
Hinata moved forward and collected the paper and map from him.
“Good luck, remember your orders and the promise you just made.”
She nodded.
Naruto reached for her hand.
It was clammy and cold.
“You’ll find him,” he told her as they stepped out into the hall, “I know you will, until then, worry about getting to him. Don’t make any assumptions before you see him, ‘ttebayo.”
Her lips trembled.
She was afraid she’d find him dead.
He was too…
He wanted to tell her that Shino was fine, that there was nothing to worry about…but he couldn’t. She wouldn’t believe it anyway. They both knew, he was in no position to say those words, to promise her an outcome that he wasn’t sure this would happen. He wrapped his arms around her instead, gave her a quick squeeze before pulling back.
“Focus. Put those thoughts away until you know for sure.”
He bent and kissed her briefly before turning to the group standing near the battered Inuzuka. Sakura and Ino had been speaking to him quietly. From their expressions, he could tell they were asking him about his face and were being rebuffed. Naruto turned his gaze from the group in favor of his orders to collect his team.
“Hokage-sama’s ready for us,” he said, then turned for the door.
Now wasn’t the time for questions about why the Inuzuka looked the way he did. There were two important mission waiting.
xxxxxx
Hinata sprinted home, heart pounding, worry churning in her stomach as she gathered clothes, extra shinobi tools, and shoved them into the travel backpack she kept stocked with generic mission necessities for situations such as these. She raced back to the closet and tool drawer, stuffed the pack next to hers before securing hers, and shrugging into it. She grabbed her fiancé’s pack and sat it next to the genkan on her way out.
They met at the gate in half the time it usually took.
In her panic after hearing the news about Shino, she hadn’t noticed. And while she was still worried, still impatient to see with her own eyes that her beloved teammate was still breathing, she couldn’t ignore the one standing next to her.
He looked awful!
There were bruises all over his face.
His left eyes was swollen and purple, his nose had a bandage at it’s bridge and was a little plump. A cut marred his bottom lip, and a dusting of that purple touched his right lower jaw.
He looked like he’d gotten the worst end of a fight.
This wasn’t the first time she’d seen him like this.
Kiba was a hot head.
Kiba didn’t mince words.
Kiba sometimes didn’t choose his battles wisely.
But she hadn’t seen him this…beaten up in years. Not even following a training session. Definitely not since the war ended. Maturity had hit them all pretty hard after living through that hell, even Kiba had changed. He measured his responses more than he used to, and was less prone to losing his temper. As a result, random fights had died a silent death. She often teased him about mellowing, but soothed that gentle joking by conveying her pride in his new found self control. That was why, seeing him like this was more than a little shocking to her.
“Kiba-kun, what happened to your face?” she gasped as she approached him.
Red stained his cheeks, and his dark eyes shot away from hers.
His jaw tightened.
She knew that stubborn look.
“Nothing, don’t worry about it,” he muttered, “it’s not important anyways, we need to focus on finding Shino.”
“Kiba-kun…”
“Not right now, Hinata,” he said quietly, “its really…not the time.
She gave him a concerned look, but said no more. Whatever had happened to him, she’d have to try and coax it from him later. He was right, however. They needed to focus. It was an excuse to deter her, but an accurate excuse none the less. Right now, Shino needed them.
Once she had her brother in everything but blood, safe and sound behind Konoha’s protective walls, she’d figure out who had given her other brother the bruises he was wearing now.
xxxxxx
May 15, 2010
They traveled by air atop Enmei’s summoned creature, a snowy feathered owl named Genji for two torturous days. Neither Hinata nor Kiba slept for long, and they ate just enough to keep their bodies moving despite their lack of appetite. As they neared the last place the Anbu had contacted the Hokage alive, they switched to traveling on foot. For an hour they ran through thick foliage, leapt over boulders and splashed through streams. As they burst through a dense forest, Hinata felt her pulse quicken.
The coordinates were within range of her Byakugan.
“Do you see him?” called out.
Hinata gazed over the landscape, her veined eyes moving quickly and efficiently from one point to the next, desperately searching for their comrade. She found him in the next second, slumped against a tree.
“There! Kiba-kun, I see him!,” she exclaimed, “he’s alive!”
Her eyes narrowed and the joy she’d felt melded into fear. As alarming as his lack of coat and sunglasses were, it was what wasn’t below his skin…and the way his chakra network was behaving.
“Something’s wrong,” she told her companions, “his chakra network is…strange.”
“Strange?” Kiba questioned, “strange how?”
“It’s threadbare and…” she strained to see, “I need to get closer to make sense of it.”
“Threadbare,” Enmei repeated, “is it steady or declining.”
“It seems stable, I don’t see any significant decline,” she replied, before imparting what was disturbing her the most, “Kiba-kun, his insects…I don’t see any.”
“What?!”
“There aren’t any insects inside of him,” a touch of alarm in her voice, “None.”
There was always insects inside of his body. From eggs, to larva to full grown bugs, any time she looked at him with her ocular dojutsu, there was always activity. She could find none, and she knew it wasn’t due to the distance. She could see him quite clearly, far clearer than she would have been able to before Hamura’s chakra transfer.
There was no mistake.
Anxiety knotted her stomach.
“We have to hurry,” she urged.
Hinata took the lead, leaping from branch to branch, swinging from one before gaining her footing on another.
“Something smells foul,” Kiba choked, his words muffled behind his hand.
Akamaru whined.
The pair stopped a moment later. She knew with their sense of smell, whatever was up ahead required the specially made masks for the two, but Hinata couldn’t wait. She had to get to Shino. She dropped into the clearing minutes later and was immediately hit with the stench of blood, decay and some unidentifiable stench far worse than anything she’d ever encountered, worse than tsuchi. Hinata gagged, turning her face from the smell. Eyes watering, she reached up to cover her mouth and nose.
Something white entered her peripheral.
She reached for the mask, tied it around her face then sucked in a few breaths.
“That smell,” she gasped, wiping her wet eyes, before turning them to the tree her teammate lay slumped against.
She ran to him, fighting another gag as she passed the source of the horrible scent. Charred bones, chunks of flesh, stagnant puddles of something that looked like more than blood lay stretched out near the fire. She knew what it was, what those pink flesh bits were.
The remains of the missing Anbu.
She crouched when she reached him, fighting the urge to wrap her arms around him.
“Shino-kun!” she called, her voice shaky.
He looked haggard and sickly. Veined eyes studied his chakra network, bouncing from one anomaly to another, alarm blooming in her chest as she did. Shino’s baseline chakra flow was reduced to a deadly trickle. Spools of chakra slipped from several points along the circular system, streaming out into his body before dispersing into nothingness. That had to be why his body was empty, at this rate there was barely enough chakra to sustain his own life, let alone the hive that usually resided beneath his flesh.
“What is this?” she whispered, milky orbs wide and horrified.
Kiba and Akamaru joined her a beat second, radiating distress.
“Shino!”
Enmei was there an instant later. The medic crouched in front of the downed shinobi, reached out with hands bathed in chakra, then placed them on their teammate’s chest. She watched the healing effects flow through his body, dread filling her heart as those tubes that carried chakra from point to point…leaked. It was like trying to fill a bucket that had holes drilled at the bottom. She could see it spilling out, no more successful in reaching one tenketsu to another than Shino’s own chakra.
“There’s something wrong with his network,” she told the medic, “there’s small pin sized…holes in his pathways. His chakra and your own aren’t flowing properly. It’s escaping through the holes.”
Though his brows creased at the information, Enmei merely increased the flow, concentration lining his face. It was just enough to force the trickle into a thin stream. She could see progress, but it was a slow crawl towards healing. Seconds that felt like hours ticked by, time in which she struggled not to give into her initial urge to reach for her friend.
How had this happened?
What in the world had caused these microscopic injuries?
Anxiety bloomed.
They were reminiscent of the deadly after effects stemming from her lover’s Fūton Rasenshuriken. Devastating damage that even Tsunade-sama couldn’t mend-
“Is he okay?” Kiba barked impatiently.
“Give him time to work,” Hinata soothed, placing a comforting hand to his shoulder.
Even as she said it, her own heart was pounding. She felt nauseous and shaky and scared. She was scared for him…
Terrified for her big brother.
‘Shino-kun…’
Unable to help herself, she reached for his hand.
She’d barely felt the coldness of his skin before she was up and moving. She leapt from the spot she’d been kneeling, narrowly escaping the thundering crash of the high powered jet of water. Her veined eyes searched the area as she hurtled back to earth; alighting on the perpetrator as she landed on the sturdy branch of a tree. Water rushed below them, flowing halfway up the tree before settling.
A woman stood a short distance away.
She was tall and painfully thin. Shaven cranium, emaciated body unclothed and patchy, the female stood deathly still atop the lake she’d shot created below them. There was something off about her, a wrongness Hinata could feel in her bones.
Their eyes met.
Purple sclera, two poorly constructed rings circling the dark pupil.
Imitation dojutsu.
She studied the abnormal chakra network, noting the writhing tubes switching from tenketsu to tenketsu.
Jubokko…
“Who the hell are you?!” Kiba growled from his perch high and to her right within the same tree, “are you the one that attacked Shino?!”
Akamaru gave a resounding bark.
“Kiba-kun, don’t-”
“Answer me!” he yelled in the ensuing silence.
His body tensed, and she knew he was seconds from confronting the woman with more than just words.
“Kiba-kun, calm down. Hokage-sama directed us not to engage the enemy unless absolutely necessary,” she reminded him, “our primary goal is getting Shino-kun back to the village. We need to try and escape. Those are our orders. That…person, she’s a jubokko, I’m sure of it. We can’t afford to be reckless.”
She’d promised Naruto she wouldn’t and she intended to keep that vow.
Hoping she’d leashed him for the moment, she turned her attention back to the woman.
This situation unnerved her. Jubokko were like rabid animals, attacking with out rhyme or reason, rending flesh and toppling all that stood in their way. This female exhibited none of the mindless violence synonymous with those monsters. She hadn’t moved since her initial attack, nor did she seem inclined to do so. Hinata looked further up at Enmei, and the unconscious burden he held in his arms.
“Summon Chiho,” she commanded, “take Shino-kun and head back to the village, we’ll create a diversion and join you as soon as we can.”
The man nodded.
As gingerly as he could, he placed the insect wielding shinobi over his shoulder, and formed the seals to bring forth the owl. A sharp wind shook the leaves, swayed the tree and tossed their hair.
Enmei leapt up and onto the owl.
Another water torpedo exploded against the tree. Chiho flapped his wings, carrying both men high into the sky while the three remanding inhabitants jumped from the splintered wood as it toppled.
They landed atop the lake below.
The jubokko was moving now, walking across the wide body of water she’d created. Her mannerism again took the Hyuuga aback. Calm, collected, almost…trance like. There was a sensation coming from her, but she couldn’t place her finger on what it was.
Nor did she have time to figure it out.
The creature sprung across the water, hurtling towards her feral friend faster than the water blasts. She had the quickness of the last jubokko she’d fought, but this time, the Hyuuga heiress was far from trailing the speedy beast. Tracking the shiny headed female, Hinata took a breath, then fell back on the training she and her lover had worked hard to master. She fed chakra to her palm, gauging the amount as sufficent before launching it at the charging woman.
‘Hakke Kūshō!’
It was a little bigger than she’d anticipated, more powerful than she’d wanted, but nowhere near the destructive force that had initially terrified her.
The jubokko went sailing like a missile, hurtling through the towering forest to their right.
Kiba’s head whipped to her, eyes wide, a question gleaming.
What the hell was that?!
She shook her head, turning her mind to the fight at hand. It was already back again, blowing apart an even wider path than the one she’d created blasting it away from Kiba, as it barreled towards them.
Its jaw snapped open and those shattering water blast erupted.
‘Shugohakke Rokujūyon Shō!’
The torpedoes crashed against the tightly woven barricade, spraying the air with cool droplets.
“Kiba-kun, we need to incapacitate it long enough to put some distance between us,” she said quickly, “if I can get close enough I should be able to do it. Can you create an opening?”
“I got it,” the feral man replied, “when we’re done with this, you wanna explain what the hell is going on with you?”
“She’s coming!”
“Let’s go Akamaru!”
Barking his approval, the hound and shinobi charged forward, Hinata a few paces behind. Shooting apart, her teammates dashed towards the monster from left and right, swiftly closing the distance between them, trapping the jubokko in a pincer. Two whirlwinds converged, directing their vicious current a the woman.
With ease and agility, the bald woman skirted the impacts.
Tracking the movements through narrowed eyes, Hinata dove into combat, her focus narrowed to that lone female dodging Gatsūga.
It’s back was turn for a beat.
She struck, aiming for one of many tenketsu that would effective shut down her system.
The creature twirled, avoiding the blow. Undeterred, Hinata followed, striking out with one hand then the other, aiming for head, chest, ribs and limbs, anything within range.
Her seeking hands meet only air.
Hinata ducked abruptly.
A whirlwind passed over her head, sending her dark hair blowing wildly atop her head. The jubokko dodged again, but she was there in an instant. Sweeping forward, Hinata lashed out, honing in on the easiest tenketsu in range.
It caught her arm midway, its grip tight and bruising.
A sensation crawled over her skin.
Frigid…
Repulsive…
Disgusting.
Caught off guard by the onslaught, Hinata recoiled, snatching her arm from the creature, only for the foul woman to wrap her hands around her throat. Icy waves of something foul washed over her. She gagged, her insides churning hard and for the first time in her life, the Hyuuga feared she’d vomit in the mist of combat.
‘What is this feeling?’ her panicked mind questioned.
Jaw tightening, Hinata threaded her arms in the space between the woman’s arms, knocked them apart then slapped twelve chakra laden palms to her chest in rapid succession, sending her flying.
She sucked in a breath, wrapping warm fingers around her own throat.
It lingered beneath her skin.
“Hinata!”
Kiba knelt next to her, a hand on her back.
“You alright?”
She inhaled and exhaled, then nodded.
“I’m fine,” she assured him, gaining her feet, “we have to stop it now,”
They ran towards it. It lay face up in the water…dark liquid oozing into the water below. Even as they neared, she knew what they’d find. In the midst of her bid to disconnect from the nastiness pouring from the jubokko, she hadn’t even thought to taper her strength.
She’d struck back without thought or restraint.
Much like the other, there were holes blown from its body, chucks of flesh missing, bones peeking through charred muscle.
She swallowed.
She wasn’t upset that she’d killed it, her disquiet stemmed solely from her lack of control. It was far from the disaster that had seen a village and it’s people hurt, but it was a lapse she hadn’t wanted to experience at all.
“What the hell…” he muttered at her side, “Hinata, what-”
“There may be more of them,” she interrupted softly, “we need to catch up to Enmei and Shino-kun.”
He was quiet a beat, his dark eyes assessing before he gave a short nod. They turned and raced across the water in the direction of the owl.
As she ran, an intangible force whispered in the distance.
Hinata paused, dark brows furrowing as she scanned the space behind and off to the right of them. A chill swept her skin.
“Hinata?”
She jumped, heart pounding.
“What’s wrong? Why’d you stop?”
She shook her head.
“I…thought I felt someone watching us. I was scanning the area to make sure we weren’t being followed,” she told him, “I don’t see anyone, but I’ll keep looking just in case.”
xxxxxx
“She sensed us,” Toneri noted as he drank in the lovely creature staring in their direction.
She looked puzzled and unsure, so achingly beautiful his heart clenched.
She had changed.
A stealthy alteration he felt rather than saw. Taking shape like the softest caress, it slid along his soul, starting fires in it’s wake. There was an aura about her, a quiet allure that beckoned him to leap from his perch, kneel at her feet and eagerly await unadulterated bliss or unending agony, whichever she saw fit to grace his unimportant being. The love he had once felt morphed into something he struggled to endure. He clenched the fabric over his chest, a tremor running through his form. It burned beneath his skin, clawed at his heart and filled his head with heady decadence. She had become everything he had been told and more. Like a living deity walking the lowly planes of Earth, holding the fate of the Otsutsuki within her gentle hands.
His wintry orbs gleamed, sweat slid down his spine.
His lungs were hurting.
He was panting.
He hadn’t realized.
It was to be expected he supposed, this trembling excitement, this abating of his breath. The truth was slowly, gradually, exuberantly unfurling before his eyes. This brief glimpse into the future left him shaken and awed. Fervent in a way he had not been until laying eyes upon her again. He found it shocking, in light of the devotion she roused within him long before Momoshiki-sama approached him on the moon, that this feeling called reverence could expand beyond its current confines, and yet here he stood, struggling beneath its intensity.
Fanatical apostle that he was, he hadn’t realized he could reach another depth to his zeal.
He was beyond devotion, beyond adoration. She was a woman he wished to present the celestial body he’d once called home to, a woman to venerate day and night.
“It’s taken root,” Toriyama whispered reverently, “even now I can feel the hum. It’s progressing rapidly.”
Toneri barely heard him over the pounding in his ears.
How much longer?
For how many more seconds, days, months, years would he be forced to live beneath these feelings twisting his insides?
How much longer must he wait before this miraculous seed bore fruit?
xxxxxx
Another chapter for your enjoyment! For all my hard work, please be sure to leave a review! ^_^
Again, hope the action was okay, lol. I tried my best on it, and considering the future, I really gotta get more comfortable depicting these scenes. You all really gotta kick out of the bachelorette party and that makes me incredibly happy! I was ecstatic to read your feedback and reactions!
We are heading into the heavy, so please, buckle up and get ready for a bumpy ride! The drama between Kiba and Naruto is far from over, and now that the Princess smells something amiss, who know what’s gonna result from that, lol.
ANON - Majin on April 19, 2022- Could you resubmit your review? It's empty for me and I'd love to read your feedback!
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Sessakag!~
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