(A/N: This is a side story belonging to our Whispers of the War Maidens series. As you know, we hope to write several stories in this universe, all featuring the kunoichi as they live their daily lives. That being said, if you enjoy this, you might want to look into other stories of this universe. Karui plays a fairly large role in both The Sand Child, and Whispers of the War Maidens: Temari's Story in later chapters. That being said, we hope you enjoy this short one-shot.)
Some further notes: This takes shortly after the Fourth World War. Long before the events of other stories in this universe.
WotWM: The Woman from Kumogakure
She thought he was a nice guy, it was as simple as that – at first.
He wasn't arrogant, like a lot of people she knew. He was a little shy too, and that was kind of cute. She could appreciate his attempts at flattery, and laugh at a few of his jokes. All in all though, that's not what attracted her to him.
No, it was something entirely different. She couldn't put her finger on it. He was kind to her, maybe too kind. He was skittish too, averting his gaze if he thought he'd been lingering too long. Finally, feeling as though the man before her was about to dissolve in a fit of shivers and shakes, she comforted him.
"You should have more confidence in yourself." She said with a laugh, putting some more meat onto the plate in front of him. Idly, she wondered, why did she say that to him? What even compelled her? She placed another few slices of meat onto the burner, hearing them sizzle. "You shouldn't hold yourself back nearly as much as you do. I'm hardly to be offended."
After all, it wasn't as if he was a particularly offensive man.
He seemed to right himself at this proclamation, shaking his head. "I'm your escort here while in Konoha. It's my job to make sure you're well taken care of. Besides, that, I want to." He said, all the while bashfully scratching his cheek with one lone finger.
"You can stop now." Karui said, her amusement twinkling once more.
"Stop what?"
She smiled, thinking that might put him at ease. "Worrying over every little thing." She reached for her glass of juice. Something about Konoha's fruits and juices always tasted so fresh. "I requested you as an escort because I enjoy talking to you. Anyway, you might want to relax a little. You're sweating bullets, and I'm not going to bite."
"Oh? Am I?" He didn't doubt it, he was particularly nervous. "Sorry, sorry." He blotted his neck with a handkerchief.
"At ease, Choji, good Lord." To Karui's credit, she didn't particularly mind one way or the other. "To be honest, it's hard to go wrong with a village as well maintained as this, trust me. I've visited some real prizes. I can be at ease here, that's rare. I'd like it if you shared the sentiment."
She was a very powerful ninja, and she wouldn't let anyone forget it. He had always been impressed by that. "I was wondering about that, you must travel a lot then?"
"To Konohagakure more than ever." Karui answered with a shrug. "I really should just look for a residence someplace. I come here so often, I'm starting to think it'll become a requirement."
He seemed to think on this, his words slow and tentative. "If you're looking for a place to stay, the Akimichi family has a few small houses available. We use them for guests, but we don't often have visitors. If you don't mind being in the Akimichi compound, that's an option."
"Now you're just being too nice." She shook her head.
"Am I?"
She laughed, he honestly looked confused. That was part of it too, how he just simply seemed so candid, and about everything. "You are. I couldn't accept that. It's not exactly proper considering I'm not Konoha born or raised."
Choji denied her thought immediately. "Actually, it would honor my family, and I. We rarely ever get visitors, I mean that. If you ever did decide to stay within the compound, it would give us a reason to fest." After saying this, he plopped a particularly tasty morsel of meat into his mouth. "We love our feasts…"
"Oh, you should see the feasts in Kumogakure."
"They're large?"
Karui nodded, though she didn't know why he was interested to hear that. There was, she noticed, a tiny twinge of hope in his voice. "You've seen our ilk. Big men, with even bigger appetites. That's what happens in a land with strong economies, gluttony runs rampant. We want for nothing right now, but, we gorge a great deal on things we don't need."
Choji gave her a shy, knowing smile. "I would say Omoi is skinny, especially compared to me."
It was then she smiled, realizing what it was about him. Why she liked this man so much. He wasn't a power hungry fool. He just wanted to be noticed, and accepted, a lot like Killer B in that way. She pushed the wayward thought aside for now.
He didn't objectify her, or make comments about her body like Omoi did. He didn't make her feel inadequate, or some type of battle ready machine. Frankly, he wasn't Omoi, and that made the world of difference.
"Omoi also sucks on candy all day. He doesn't even know what a hardy diet even is." She thought about her homeland, what made it so different. The answers came easily to mind. "See, we're a mountain people, we eat mostly meat, and we drink mostly milk from animals. We do have some fruit and vegetables, but most of that comes by import. It's true, I suppose, that not all of our men are like Killer B and the Raikage. They do like to eat though, and protean is our staple."
"It doesn't bother you?" Choji asked, his voice curious.
"What, larger men?" Golden eyes flickered. "Why in the world would it bother me?"
"Big guys…" Choji put down his empty rice bowl. "We're just different, I think. Less, uh, well…girls don't really want a guy like that around here."
There was a hint of loneliness in his words. She wondered how long it had been there.
"You're a good man, Choji Akimichi." Karui murmured, resting her hand over his. "If people can't see that, well, maybe you've just been looking in the wrong direction."
Her dark skin contrasted sharply with his. That was another difference, but it wasn't all that far of a gap, not in her mind. She'd seen hell after all, survived an entire world war. There were more important things in life than appearances, and more to her than just her kenjutsu. Choji, for all of his bashfulness, seemed to notice that about her. He seemed in the woman that she was, her life, her missions, and the homeland she hailed from.
"Maybe..." He agreed uncertainly. "I try not to think about it. If I think, I'm reminded that I'm far from the kind of person I want to be."
"It's easy, I think, to get lost in all of the ways a person can be lacking. Skill for example. The way a person looks, and the kind of weapons they carry. What village they're from, how they dress." She let out a stray breath. "We're used to judging others, because if we don't, we die. That's just how being a ninja is, being cautious is the territory. That's why, when I find a person I know I can trust implicitly, all of that judgement goes out the window."
Does it?" He asked. "Truly?"
"I don't need, or want it after that." Absently, her thumb ran along his knuckles, marveling at the strength there. She should have known it, of course, he was a brawler, and worked with close combat. Her eyes flicked up to his, smirking at the confused expression playing across his lips. "It doesn't do me any good." Leaning back in her seat. Arms crossed over her small bosom, she looked directly into his eyes. "Kumogakure is looking for a representative from Konohagakure to do business with. It is written as part of the treaty, every country must have interpersonal contact with the other."
"You want me to be the one to go back with you?" Now he was truly surprised, and a little humbled. "A-are you even sure about that?"
"Hey," she laughed. "How about a little faith too, hmm?"
Choji nodded under her warm gaze. He wouldn't dare hope for anything more than that simple acceptance from her. What he didn't realize, at least not right then, was that he didn't have to be alone anymore. That, no matter what he thought of himself, she wouldn't let him be…
At the time though, it had just been dinner with a woman, from Kumogakure.