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Koiuta, V.2	By : dragonslover1 Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 1338 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: 'Naruto' is owned by Masashi Kishimoto. I am not profiting from this fanfiction.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
Koiuta, Love Song V.2

　

A New Life

　

　

Honestly, Tasha had never felt more appreciated, more wanted. . .more safe. After she�d woken up, Shino had stayed for a full hour, talking with her, telling her everything she needed to know about Konoha. She liked everything she heard. And she appreciated the effort he�d shown her. She was definitely worth three and a half potatoes.

She�d thanked him for everything before he�d gone, which he returned with a nod. Picking up on his mannerisms, she got that the nod was more than an acknowledgement that he�d heard; in this case, it was also an agreement. He�d enjoyed her company as much as she had his. Trouble was, she couldn�t leave. Not yet. Even if she hadn�t been still weak, her body yet fighting off the foreign bacteria, she had guards. Guards whose job it was to keep her in this room until further notice.

Yay.

Weak as she was, it took effort to reach the bathroom, but though a nurse had appeared during the quest to help her, she refused. If she was going to be self-sufficient, then she would start with bathing herself. And she soon discovered that relaxing, allowing others to care for her, was a pleasure of its own. Food was brought, she chatted with whichever nurse had done so, and her checkups were simple blood works and checks of her breathing.

She even had a male nurse, and he was clearly enthralled with her. It was flattering. She let herself flirt with him, because for the first time in her life, she could. No one was waiting on the wings to berate her for the words or, worse, to try and demand she follow them through. People in Konoha were just. . .nice. It was bizarre, but the good kind of bizarre. She could get used to this form of pampering.

Her pride didn�t fully relent, of course. She was determined to be as independent as possible, and that included feeding herself, going to and from the bathroom herself, stretching and flexing her stiff limbs herself. She almost allowed another�s aid in the final subject, knowing that doctors and nurses would be aware of a sick patient�s limits better than she, but her ego won out.

She even tucked herself into bed that night. It wasn�t comfortable, exactly, but it was better than the stiff tatami mat she�d had back in her own village. And the next morning she was up just as the sky was beginning to lighten, the sun not quite visible yet.

With a stretch, she rose to her feet, testing her mobility. Hands, wrists: perfect. Elbows: a little stiff. Shoulders: aching. Waist: ouch. Hips: doing quite well. Knees: popped, still stiff. Ankles: don�t ask. Neck: cracked in four places, then perfect. She felt. . .good, overall. A surprise since her white blood count had been low last night, requiring a strong dose of antibacterial. They must have done their job.

Now what, though? She wanted to go run, leap, test how free she really was. But of course she couldn�t go beyond her door. The two guarding her were Chunnin, not Jounin, but she was still a Genin. She wouldn�t be able to avoid them for long.

So she turned on the radio, keeping the volume low, and started to dance slowly by herself. Careful not to aggravate her wounds or pop any stitches, she swayed, twisted, spun, her arms doing most of the moving since her legs were still protesting. And as she danced, her spirits continued to rise. Victory was hers at long last!

Her life of direct and indirect misfortune was over. No more bitter, poisonous fruits. No more judging, scowling, higher-ranked ninja. No more having to listen to her father�s exaggerated speeches. No more �no mercy�. She was happiest to wave goodbye to that one.

How many people and beasts alike had she killed because of that phrase? Those two simple words, that one strict rule? Countless—
more than she could ever recall. How many lives had she cut down despite pleas for sympathy because if she hadn�t, the person would have died anyway, only she would have been punished for it, too?

Too many.

Did she regret being ruthless? No, but she did regret that she hadn�t been able to spare even the innocent. Perhaps she should have tried harder, she reasoned, should have tried to help others the way she�d been helped. In that perspective, she shouldn�t have been helped at all. She should�ve been allowed to die.

But she hadn�t. She was here now, she was alive, and she would damn well continue to live no matter the opposition. Her near-death count eclipsed a dozen despite her young age, and she had survived each one of them. She would fight on, then, proving that what does not kill you merely makes you stronger. And, someday, she would emulate those who�d helped her reach this point, offering kind hands free of malice instead of sharp blades to those in need of it.

The very idea of this plan pleased her. Yes, she agreed with herself. She would spend the rest of her life atoning for the wrongs she�d wrought, fixing the broken, giving second chances freely. And in the process, she would make her new friends, her new country, proud of her.

- - -

Hours later found her sitting on her bed, legs crossed, her �gown� exchanged for pants and a shirt, playing cards with the Chunnin guarding her. Her wind chakra made her damn good at shuffling, she�d discovered. The pair of them—
males by the names of Shinn and Saitou—
were enjoying themselves as much as her. They�d even begun playing with stakes, and Tasha was winning often. Which was good, since she had almost nothing to offer in return.

That�s when the others arrived, three bodies appearing in the doorway. They paused in surprise at the sight she made with the Chunnin.

She waved, pleased to see the team again. �Ohaiyo! Come in,� she beckoned.

�Making friends, I see,� Kiba said first, grinning at the pair. The other men looked uncomfortable, like they�d been caught doing something illegal.

�Might as well,� she answered with a shrug.

�Hello,� Hinata greeted the guards. Then, to Tasha, �You�re looking better.�

Tasha nodded, her eyes snagging onto Shino. �I take it you told them I was awake?� He nodded, silent, so she went on, �Should�ve figured. Welcome to my official temporary housing,� she said with a gesture of her arms.

�Where did you get the clothes?� Hinata asked, looking Tasha over.

They were both plain and blue, and Tasha grinned at the story. With a glance towards her �guards�, she explained, �We�ve been playing poker. We started making bets, and I asked for a shirt and pants as reward for winning. And I won.� A shameless smile split her face.

Shinn cleared his throat at that. �She plays better than most,� he admitted.

In return, she gave a nod to the man, half a bow from her sitting position, showing she appreciated the sentiment. She put the cards away, then, handing them over. �May we have some time?� she asked.

The Chunnin rose with vague agreements, stepping out of the room. Hinata and Kiba took their places, while Shino just kind of hovered near the foot of the bed.

�You�re looking way better,� Kiba began, giving her a once-over and kind of one-upping Hinata�s own comment a moment before. �There�s actually color to your skin now.�

�Ouch,� she retorted with a chuckle, easing the sting. �I�ll have you know I was very sick.�

�Are you still?� Hinata checked, worry filtering through her gaze.

Tasha gave her a warm smile. �Yes, but it�s definitely getting better. It was hard to move last night, but today I can actually walk about. Just. . .not a lot,� she added with a wry smile and a wince.

Thus began over an hour of pure fun for Tasha. As she�d come to expect of these three, Hinata chatted with her, Kiba made everything into a joke, and Shino remained mostly quiet, serious when he did speak. It seemed like an odd change after all their ease from yesterday, but she was starting to get the idea that he was just the most relaxed in one-on-one situations. Being in a group, even a group comprised of friends, left him a bit awkward, unsure how to interject into the conversation.

To test her theory, she started purposely bringing him in, looking to him with questions or comments. It worked to a small degree; he started to just comment with better ease.

By now she had a great deal of valuable information about Konoha, but she wanted to know everything she could, so she made it her goal to learn everything she could. One by one, her questions were answered, ranging from the names of the Hokage of the past to local diners to famous painters born in Konoha. She liked learning about these things, hearing the stories. They inspired her more than the history of Earth Country ever could.

On and on it went, until Tasha found herself starting to nod off, her stressed body still working its hardest. She scowled at the timing, unwilling to let the three go and end her lessons, but she had little choice. The moment they noticed her growing lethargy, they said their goodbyes, Hinata adding in a threat about resting and not harming herself further.

Her schedule was all messed up now. There was nothing to be done about it, though, until her body had ceased fighting the infection. As the others left, she reclined in her bed, her tired body dragging her to sleep swiftly.

- - -

Clearly, a bond had been forged. When Tsunade came to the hospital to check up on her most recent patient (and possible permanent ninja transfer), a full week after Tasha had woken, she paused with the open doorway in sight, her brows lifting at the scene playing out within. There sat her patient, Tasha, legs crossed before her, black hair braided down her back and pooling behind her on the bed. Across from her sat a heavily-hidden ninja the Hokage had no difficulty recognizing—
because he was the only one of his clan who would be willing to visit. Shino Aburame.

His full attention was on Tasha, his pose relaxed, one leg crossed on the bed with the other hanging off. They were so close their knees almost touched, Tsunade saw, her mind expertly analyzing every detail in sight. Tasha was smiling, speaking, then paused. Seconds ticked by and then she was laughing, her mirth echoing down the corridor. In a way, Tsunade was stunned by that.

Had an Aburame just made a not-Aburame laugh? She�d never heard of such a thing. They were usually so stoic and secretive that they only ever seemed to enjoy themselves with their own clan. But whatever he�d said, Tasha had liked.

Tsunade kept her distance, though, not coming any closer, too curious to interrupt the exchange she was witnessing. Shino couldn�t see her, she noted, his hood keeping her out of his sight. She could guess he knew, though, perhaps thanks to his bugs.

As she watched, Tasha�s expression went from amused to pouting. She reached out, leaning in, to grab Shino�s sleeve and tug at it. He let her, another surprise to the Hokage watching. Tasha said something to him then, her hand dropping, there was a pause, and then her gaze turned unamused. She crossed her arms. Sadly, Tsunade was too far away to hear what was being said, because it probably would�ve entertained her.

With jerky, almost irritated moves, Shino shoved back his hood, pulled the coat off his arms and dropped it on the bed beside him. He crossed his arms in mimicry of Tasha�s own move.

Well, then.

Though Tasha was clearly trying to keep a straight face, she failed, grinning victoriously. She thrust a fist in the air, her lips moving—
Tsunade easily read those two words despite being too far away to hear them. �I win!�

Shino merely shook his head.

Their conversation picked back up, Tsunade having to guess when Shino replied because she couldn�t make hide nor hair from him. After a few moments Tasha gestured his hand, said something that made Shino go rigid, then winced. She apologized next, another easily-read word upon her lips. Figuring now would be a good time to interrupt, Tsunade started forward.

She managed two steps before she paused again, watching with a kind of disbelief as Shino extended his arm towards Tasha. The girl settled her hands over his forearm, looking both apprehensive and excited in one. What were they doing, Tsunade wondered? Only one logical answer came to mind, but no, that couldn�t be right. That would be way too personal of an act, at least for members of the Aburame clan. An intimacy.

Because that hold suggested Tasha was feeling Shino�s insects under his skin.

- - -

A few moments of silence passed, Tasha�s grip on Shino�s arm light and unmoving. Nothing. �I don�t feel anything,� she told him.

�That�s because they�re not moving,� he informed her.

Honestly, she was surprised he�d even agreed to this. But he kind of fascinated her. For the last week, he�d visited her once a day, and Hinata had visited her once a day, and the two didn�t always do so at the same time. Kiba had also shown up yesterday, his second visit, but while she�d been pleased to see the Animal Man (inward snicker), she hadn�t been so pleased that he�d shown up during Shino�s visit and taken away some time.

Each day they talked, talked and talked. More recently she started noticing his habits, things she hadn�t seen during their walk before. For example, he answered questions she didn�t ask at times, and other times he verbally reasoned something that she�d already understood. It was kind of quirky and adorable, she mused, almost like he was so unsure of other people�s confidence that he went the extra mile when interacting with them.

Today she�d gone so far as to point out how hard it was to talk to him when she couldn�t read his expressions in the least, meaning she occasionally said something she shouldn�t have because she hadn�t known it would irritate him. She went so far as to blame his choice in attire for this, to which he�d promptly shed his jacket. Making a point, she figured. She couldn�t read him any better now than she had before, really. Sure, she could see his eyebrows now, but they never moved. He constantly looked perturbed by something.

And then she�d gone ahead and asked about his insects, the sight of his bare arms reminding her of their first real interaction. Eventually she commented, �I can�t imagine what that feels like on the inside.�

He�d gone stiff in reaction, a dose of reality crashing into her. Shit, she�d overstepped a boundary, hadn�t she? With a wince, she apologized, only to fall into shock a moment later when he offered his arm.

�Try to feel them,� he�d offered.

Now she held his arm about as gently as she could, unsure if the bugs squished easy and not wanting to find out. She hadn�t been able to help herself, really, but now she was thinking she should�ve declined. Somehow this felt. . .intimate, like he was giving her something he�d never given another. Still unused to gifts as she was, she didn�t know how to react to it.

Then she felt movement, tiny wriggles and bumps, her eyes latching onto her own hands. It was almost a vibration under his skin, a kind of pattern, raising the hairs at the back of her neck because that was not natural. Yet, at the same time, it was kind of mesmerizing, too. He felt this, all the time, inside him? Twenty-four seven? She was at once enthralled and uneasy. How did one live like this?

�And this doesn�t bother you?� she checked, lifting her eyes to his—
uh, face.

He shrugged. �Because I�ve lived with it since birth, I hardly notice it.�

Reasonable, she supposed. She let go then, thinking that the movement can�t be comfortable to him regardless and that if she let go, he�d have the bugs stop.

That�s when her senses perked up, aware of a strong presence nearby. No, not just strong, she amended, but thundering. Raw power was echoing around her, an invisible wave that she wouldn�t have ever noticed had it not been for her jewel. Because its purpose was to absorb chakra, it could kind of sense chakra, and a massive amount of it was nearing her.

Her eyes darted left, towards the open hospital door. There, down the hall, strode a woman. Blonde her, pink skin, ensemble comprised of greys and blues and greens. And—
holy western phrasing, those were gigantic breasts. Tasha couldn�t help but gaze at them in total shock, hardly comprehending that they were so big they flowed down towards the woman�s belt.

She forced her stare to lift, away from the overly-gifted bosom, just as the woman reached Tasha�s room. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Shino straighten up, though otherwise he didn�t move. The blonde stopped just inside the door, looking Tasha over.

Across from her, Shino nodded, saying, �Hokage-sama.�

�Shino-san,� the blonde answered.

What.

Tsunade, her mind answered, having learnt their names earlier in the week. Tasha blinked rapidly in disbelief, sudden jealousy swamping her. This gorgeous, well-endowed blonde was the Hokage? Though Tasha had never thought of herself as less than beautiful, she knew when she was one-upped. Suzaki had been lovelier than she, and now, so was this blonde.

Still recovering from her stun, Tasha echoed Shino, �Hokage-sama.�

For a moment, there was no response, the blonde gazing over Tasha�s body, lingering over her bandages. Then she crooked her fingers, waving Tasha to a stand. �You�re recovering well,� Tsunade stated as Tasha obeyed, rising to her feet. The blonde circled her, lifting her arm to look at one particular wound with a critical eye. She even undid the bandage to examine it closer. �Almost ready,� she approved. �Do they still hurt?�

Tasha shook her head, answering, �Not really. An occasional twinge, nothing worrisome.� But as she spoke, questions filtered through her mind. They all centered around one bigger question: could she trust the Hokage? This was their first meeting, after all, and Tasha had no idea what the woman�s personality was like. Other than the gambling rumors, no one really knew anything.

Once upon a time, the Tsuchikage had allied with this woman, but he wasn�t one to gossip. He hadn�t mentioned her at all, not to anyone that Tasha knew of. Having no information made the brunette uneasy, unsure if she should be allowing this or not.

The woman had an intimidating kind of appearance, her pose strong although she was examining Tasha�s wounds. She was also taller than Tasha, cutting into the brunette�s pride just a hint more. Why was everyone taller than her, damn it?

Then both women were moving lightning-fast, Tsunade�s hand going for Tasha�s hip and Tasha instinctively trying to stop her. She couldn�t rival the older woman�s speed, however, and a split second later the blonde was holding a pair of shuriken Tasha had been hiding there, under her pants.

�Where did you get these?� the blonde demanded, displaying them. Almost trying to taunt Tasha with them, or maybe that was her own mind. �You aren�t allowed weapons.�

Tasha kept her gaze straight on the other woman, both to try and appear confident (which she wasn�t right then) and to avoid seeing any kind of disappointment in Shino (not that she usually could). She answered, �I consider them tools,� smartly.

Brown eyes narrowed on Tasha. �Where did you get them?� she said again, voice harder than before.

�I won them in a game of poker,� she admitted. What a great first step, she mused, grim. She�d just met the Hokage and already she was appearing untrustworthy.

The blonde looked flabbergasted. �From whom?� she snapped.

Tasha nearly winced at the biting tone, having to resist a lifetime of instant reactions—
bowing, apologizing, kissing the Kage�s ass because it could end badly if she didn�t. She answered, voice a little less firm, �Saitou-san and Shinn-san.�

There was a moment of silence, brown and blue eyes locked, and then Tsunade was easing up. Through the doorway she called, loudly, �You two will present yourselves for evaluation as soon as your tasks are complete!�

Out of sight, two voices replied sharply, �Yes, Hokage-sama!�

�Sit,� Tsunade said next, gesturing the bed. �You won�t be getting these back.� She pocketed the shuriken.

Damn. Tasha sat as ordered, but it rankled her deep. Having her obedience demanded instead of offered burned her. On top of which, why wasn�t she allowed just two shuriken? She was a ninja, one who was on the run—
she needed to protect herself. She didn�t like being helpless and unarmed.

Tsunade crouched next, lifting Tasha�s leg and pushing the pant leg up to her knee, pulling the bandage off her calf; revealing what was her worst of her wounds. Shino remained silent, watching, knowing better than to interfere, Tasha figured. Despite the confrontation a moment ago, however, the Hokage was surprisingly gentle with her hands, looking over the scabbed, still-pink stitched cut. She commented, �It looks like the infection is almost completely eradicated. Good.�

Somewhat impatient, Tasha quipped, �Surely you knew that already. Hokage-sama would not make a personal visit for a check-up,� she reasoned as the other woman looked up, a brow raised, �so why don�t you get to the point?�

�What point is that?� Tsunade answered, challenging.

A part of Tasha wanted to retreat from that rock-hard gaze, but the rest of her was demanding an answer to the question in her mind. Making a stab of a guess, she replied, �Am I being accepted into Konoha as a citizen?� She felt her heart begin to beat harder with the question, so much desire tied to the query that she couldn�t control it. She wanted so badly to stay here. Ninja or not, she wanted to stay.

Tsunade rose to her feet then, looking down upon Tasha. The brunette tried not to wince but let a tiny one through, not wanting to confront the elder woman. And then the Hokage smiled.

�Yes.�
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Koiuta, V.2