Written for Day 19 of Sheith Month: Ninja.
I intended to write for the other prompt (Pilot) for today, but when I failed to come up with an idea I liked enough to chase I considered the alternative. The only thing I could think of for Ninja was to jokingly suggest I might write a Naruto AU. Then . . . well. Not so jokingly, evidently. XD
Shiro scrambled backwards, cursing under his breath, struggling to keep his feet as the rocks under his feet ran with water. He might have been able to counter it with a doton jutsu but the harsh break in his right forearm was making his fingers numb and clumsy. He couldn't properly shape the seals he would need.
He focused on evasion, trying to get higher, and flung a handful of shuriken behind himself as he fled. A grin flashed across his face as he heard the yelp, then curse behind him. He kept moving, quick as he could, flashing through strategies and trying to come up with a plan.
Unfortunately the pained cry from his pursuer was soon followed by a yell and a wave of water that knocked him to his knees, then closed around him, trying to keep him down or perhaps even to take him under and drown him. Shiro fought it as best he could and leapt for the branches high above, pulsing chakra through his feet, but it had too strong a hold to escape entirely, and he was dragged back down.
He heard a familiar ruffling crackle of sound and froze. It built rapidly louder and Shiro took a chance and formed a single seal with his left hand, bringing up a powerful rush of wind around him - strong enough it actually pushed away some of the water surrounding him, though without further intervention it would flow immediately back.
With his fuuton for bolstering the sound built rapidly into a roar, and then a fiery dragon dove over Shiro's head, jaws wide as it spread its wings - the water running over the rocks began steaming away - and headed straight for the Kiri nin Shiro had been facing.
Shiro relaxed, letting himself sink down, falling back against the rock with a wince. He cautiously attempted to flex his right hand, frowning when his fingers only twitched. A flicker of shadow and air as the sensation of familiar chakra flashed past him and Shiro searched out the blur of familiar movements darting to the Kiri nin and around him.
The fiery dragon had left the enemy nin scorched and off balance, and without the water he had been drawing upon for most of his jutsu. He wasn't skilled or strong enough to draw up more, certainly not fast enough to matter. It didn't take long for a fresh and uninjured opponent to disable him.
Shiro tipped his head up just before the flicker reappeared beside him. "Hey." he said with a faint smile.
Keith glared down at him. "Hey." he repeated darkly, kneeling at Shiro's side. "Good to see you too, in one piece, you-" he broke off with a growl, beckoning for Shiro's right arm. He cringed as he lifted it, pain zinging up his bicep and into his shoulder and spine.
"It's so good to see you. Thank you." Shiro said sincerely as Keith rummaged through his belt pouch for a scroll, then unsealed it one handed, revealing an impressively broad set of medical supplies, including pristine bandages.
"You're welcome." Keith said a little huffily, hands delicately feeling out the damage to Shiro's arm, touch so light it barely hurt. Then he pulled the broken bones back into place and Shiro gasped, vision whiting out for a moment. "You know, if you needed help you should have asked for it!" Keith snapped, his eyes furious but his hands gentle as he wrapped Shiro's forearm it tightly with a secure splint.
"I didn't think I did." Shiro said honestly. "And you weren't back yet." Keith raised his head, meeting Shiro's eyes, and he looked. . . Shiro brought his left hand up and tugged Keith in close, kissing him softly. "I really didn't think this mission would be a problem to run without my partner." he promised against Keith's mouth.
"Yet here I am, saving your ass." Keith said, scowling even as he tenderly rested his brow against Shiro's.
"I appreciate it." Shiro said, unable to quite keep the amused lilt out of his voice.
Keith huffed, settling back on his heels. "Yeah well. I'm somewhat fond of your ass." he said dryly, squeezing Shiro's leg just above the knee. "I'm glad I got back in time." he added more seriously.
"Me too." Shiro said with feeling. He leaned back against the rock, taking deep breaths and focusing on tuning out the pain in his arm - more manageable now but still distracting - as Keith checked him over for any further injuries - a few scrapes and shallow slashes, bruises, nothing else in need of immediate attention - then resealed the rest of the medical supplies into their scroll. "How was your mission?" he asked.
"A disaster," Keith said, rolling his right shoulder and grimacing, "but apparently better than yours." He moved over to the Kiri nin's body, drawing out a fresh scroll and beginning to scribe the characters to seal it inside.
"Disaster?" Shiro asked, concerned. Keith shrugged, not looking up from his work. "What happened?" He looked Keith over more carefully, but he looked as unharmed as before - not even rumpled. Really, he looked ridiculously good for someone on the return journey of a five week long mission he had undertaken alone.
"Let's say I didn't get on well with the contacts I wound up having to make and leave it at that." Keith said with a disgusted expression. "Nothing that affected the integrity of my objectives, and I'm not injured." he confirmed, smiling slightly as he moved back over to Shiro's side. "Stop fretting."
Shiro sighed, nodding. Keith wasn't the only one who had been uneasy - and unhappy - with their partnership being split up, and he had worried constantly since Keith departed, though he knew Keith was a strong ninja. He only preferred to have his partner with him, no matter the missions they were running. Keith felt much the same, he knew.
Keith kissed him again, light and warm, and Shiro hummed softly. Then he allowed Keith to help him to his feet, leaning on his lover's support for a long moment - just a little bit more than he had actually needed. Keith smiled fondly and let him, one hand smoothing over Shiro's back up under his vest.
"Come on, love, the sooner we get back to Konoha the sooner we can get that tended to." Keith said, nodding towards his arm and nudging him gently.
Shiro sighed, but nodded agreement. The sooner they could be home and together and truly relax, as well, he thought, and Keith glanced at him with a warm smile that suggested he knew exactly what was in Shiro's mind. He smiled back, and Keith squeezed his good hand before drawing him into motion, a relatively easy-paced run that would still bring them back to Konoha within a couple of hours.