Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto.
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Magik Shoppe
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The first time he met her, she was in front of her shop, having just opened early in the morning and cleaning the stretch of sidewalk in front of her store. She was a petite little thing, her head just brushing the height of his shoulders, and a frame that Asuma knew for sure he could span twice over with his arms she was so slight. Even though her hair ─ a mass of volume atop her head, and cascading all the way to the middle of her back ─ was a deep rich crimson color, her eyes were the ones that captured his attention. A kind of emerald green that was soft and bright with its own inner light. It was mesmerizing.
In fact it was also the thing that made Kurenai stand out so much to him. Red eyes like that of the Uchiha's, but lighter in shade, more like an apple.
Thinking of Kurenai hurt him, leaving her when they were just starting something ─ he knew he made her feel like she was easy to give up, which was wrong. She was the hardest part of the whole ordeal than running away from his family.
But that was something he couldn't change now, being miles away from her.
And it was in that way, he made his first impression to the beautiful shop owner with her green eyes, halfway between in awe of her looks and a despair at having left Kurenai behind.
"Hmm... this is not good at all." The girl was directly under his nose. one hand on the broom and the other on her hip.
Asuma cleared his throat, before taking another drag from his cigarette. "What isn't?"
A delicate hand waved in the air, haphazardly indicating his shape. "All of this." Asuma felt a little insulted, wondering what she found of his physic not appealing. Everyone else seemed to enjoy it. But then she continued. "This dark aura of yours needs to go. I think I have something for that."
And with that, the same delicate hand took him by his own and found that his own completely overwhelmed hers. He didn't put any pressure on his hold, afraid he could crush it accidentally with his strength. So he let her draw him into her shop, a soft bell ringing throughout the shop as they entered.
Asuma was a little overwhelmed at the haphazard way the shop was 'organized'. There didn't seem to be anything that correlated with anything. She apparently sold books, but they weren't all together on one shelf, they could be found throughout the whole store beside candles and cutlery ─ actually it might a store for lights as they were more lights in here than the stars.
No it was a store for furniture, many couches and armchairs positioned around the store and a few leather ones were positioned around the fireplace as well. And right now he felt like sinking into one and just relaxing.
"Go sit by the fireplace and you can smoke in the store just make sure you use the ashtray." The girl pointed towards the chair, she turned and left before could say anything.
He looked at all the trinkets that littered the place and called every nook and cranny home. There were so many things to see Asuma didn't know where to start to look or explore. He admired a map on the wall beside the fireplace, it was strange, it looked nothing like that of the elemental nations, but he guessed it was just a work of art to decorate the place.
Before sitting on the couch he caught his reflection on one of the many mirrors that hung on the wall. He looked haggard. He can understand now why the girl had said what she did.
The girl appeared beside him, a tray filled with little sandwiches and a silver teapot and porcelain cups on them. she settled the tray on the coffee table that was all glass and curvy wooden legs, and kneeled beside it. "This tea will soothe you, take all your worries away. You just have to let it." She said it with such conviction as she poured him a cup, that Asuma wondered if she was crazy for even believing tea had that ability.
She handed the delicate porcelain cup towards him, a smile on her face. "Before we get started, my name is Hariel by the way. What's yours?"
"Asuma." He smelt the tea, and took in the scent of jasmine, a few berries and honey. It was definitely more colorful than he had ever had before. "What is in this?"
"I believe you already know. But to clarify, yes it's jasmine, honey and a few cranberries and raspberries." She took a small sip of her, a tiny bit of her tongue peeking out to sweep over her pale pink lips.
Asuma relaxed into his seat, eyes lazily watching her form sink into the armchair, her red hair ─ reflecting yellow and orange with the light of the fire ─ gathered to rest on one shoulder. Her big green eyes- were large and emphasized greatly because of her small face, with the rest of its small features. Her nose was like a cute little button. Her lips plump and slightly puckered as she took a sip.
She suited the shop even with its eccentricities. She belonged and seeing her in it, the shop made sense. and the longer he stayed there basking by the fire and sipping his tea sitting on a very comfortable chair, and surrounded by the chaotic and random assortment of items, he felt peaceful. It might really be the tea. Or it could be the company that didn't know who he was and didn't expect anything from him aside from his presence. Or it could be the way that the jumbled mess finding a home together in the little shop gave him a little hope about his own future.
"It's good isn't it?" Hariel looked at him with that serene smile on her face.
"It's damn good tea." Asuma agreed.
"So, what troubled you earlier?" Hariel waited for an answer ─ and Asuma wondered how she could expect him to share about his life to a total stranger. Seeing the amused look in her eyes and the slight upward tilt at the corner of her lips, Hariel was definitely waiting for him to come to the conclusion that he had just arrived to.
Strangers were sometimes the best listeners. They don't know who you are so they have no expectations, they are a clean slate and you can openly talk to them without having to sensor your words, your dreams or your thoughts because they don't know the little cutout that you had grown into, or the expectations that people who knew you had built around you that actually served to limit you on your choices in life. At least he had found himself in that predicament.
"I can't believe I'm doing this."
"You know there are psychiatrist who do these for people like you, so be glad I'm free of charge and serve great tea." A mischievous smile adorned her lips. "And you find me attractive ─ thank you for the compliment by the way."
How did she ─
"I know when a man is checking me out, so calm down." Hariel leaned back further in the armchair and nursed her own cup of tea.
Asuma flushed at being caught, but he was a grown man, there was nothing wrong about checking out a woman that was found to be beautiful ─ so he cleared his throat and forced the blush down. "Do you want me to talk or not."
"I've been patiently waiting."
Asuma took a sip of his tea, before starting his story telling.
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Asuma walked into the little shop, the soft chime of the bell as he entered, was now a familiar sound in his ear, and something he expected each time he came for it marked the start of his day. The store had become a second home to him in his second home. It was no longer strange to him to see multiple paintings, wall ornaments and mirrors hanging on the wall that he couldn't even distinguish the paint ─ or was that wallpaper? ─ on the wall. The multiple lights that were hanging from the ceiling became something that he wanted to emulate in his own home once he returned to it in Konoha. And he found it very amusing that the bookshelves were filled with picture frames of sceneries, that were not even pleasing ─ one was completely of a stone wall, with a corner of the photo having a part of a gold framed painting. There were a few more of very unfocused pictures as the subject matter seem to always be off the frame ─ a piece of a person's arm, half of a face, and one only had hair of the person caught in the camera.
Asuma walked towards his usual seat on the couch in the back beside the stone fireplace. The other fireplace was wooden, and the couches around that one was more homey, while the area he prefferred had leather couches and the decor in that corner of the room was more towards a gentlemans study.
"I hope you are feeling chocolate today, I felt like having hot cup of cocoa and wanted to share that with you." Hariel's voice rang spoke out from behind the counter where she had a little set up to be able to serve beverages and little desserts and snack to customers.
Asuma had already settled to not figure out what her store was really about. He was halfway in convincing himself that it really was just a storage space for things that she couldn't fit in her own home that was just above the shop, and called it a store.
"I don't mind." Asuma settled himself on the couch and took one of the cigars that Hariel had laid out on the table for him. She had convinced him to start smoking that instead of cigarettes ─ saying that it was healthier because it was made by people who couldn't get sick had lived long lives.
Hariel had said it in such a way that left without question, that even though Asuma had thought it was such a ridiculous reasoning behind the cigars being more healthy than his cigarettes, he believed her. Now he might think it was wishful thinking on his part ─ or just brainwashing ─ but he found himself breathing a little smoother and feeling a little better every day.
"There is something a little extra in this hot chocolate." Hariel said as she kneeled down beside the coffee table, and arranging the tray ontop of some stray books that found themselves a home on it.
Asuma had looked at her, and noted that she didn't even notice the implication of her words. So unaware she was about having sounded like she had drugged his drink ─ which she may have done so, but so far Asuma was enjoying whatever she was doing with those drinks. He always felt so good after having any of her drinks. They always targeted something new each day; stress, sadness, anger and fatigue to name a few. After having a drink, all of those went away. Asuma wouldn't be surprised if Hariel was a drug dealer. He felt like if he lost her, he would be lost as well.
It was a little worrisome how quickly he had grown attached to her. But she just had a way about her that just complimented him.
"This should help with giving you strength." Hariel took a cup for her own and settled herself on the couch beside him, having moved from her lone armchair, to settle down beside him where she could share his heat to her tiny dainty feet ─ which were always manicured with a brighter shade to that of her finger nails.
Asuma took one last puff of his cigar before putting it out on the ashtray that resembled that was in the shape of a birds nest. "I am a ninja, and I should have you know that I was accepted to be one of the guards of the Daimyo of Fire Country."
"There are many kinds of strength, and I am not talking about the physical ones. Either way you should just drink up because you do need it." Hariel rested her head on the opposite armrest to his, and settled on watching him.
It made him a little self conscious to be studied by a pretty girl.
"You shouldn't be embarrassed. You should be flattered and bask in it." Hariel said in that annoyingly knowing way of hers. He wondered how she would fair against a Yamanaka. But Asuma knew that he would always bet on her. For someone that didn't mind read, well she was really accurate in reading people.
"Hariel, you are the only one who isn't selfconscious. How did you get that sort of confidence?"
"I just started being honest." Hariel admitted plainly, a far away look in her eyes. "A lot of time is wasted when you aren't honest. A lot of misunderstandings and mistakes happen as well, and that is something that I do not want to repeat again."
"Honesty can also be seen as a flaw."Asuma took a sip of his drink and waited for it to take its effect.
"Only to those who don't want to hear it." Hariel brought her feet up and rested it on his lap. "They just need more time, that's all."
Asuma, though their relationship ─ a man and woman can be friends ─ was brand new, he felt very comfortable with her taking such liberties with his person. So care free. No ulterior motives. Just a sharing of company and taking comfort in each other. Platonically. He had never had that before. Atleast past a certain age, he had never had that ever again. Which is a long time. "Have you been honest with me?"
"I haven't told you a lie." Hariel admitted. "Though before you ask. I want you to think carefully, and I want you to find out what you are ready to know and what you aren't."
"Are there many secrets that would warrant such a warning?"
"I'm a woman." And Hariel left it at that.
Hariel definitely had a way with words. So, Asuma accepting her answering and taking heed of her warning, he started. "What's your favorite color?"
Her laughter echoed throughout the store, and Asuma's drink finally kicked in.
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Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't know what to make of the woman that had greeted him behind the counter, on top of a tall ladder, that stood on its own two legs, straight up from the ground without anything to lean on. There was also the woman that was at the top of the ladder hanging rocks of all shapes, sizes and colors from the ceiling.
She must have read the question on his face, or she may have gotten it a lot, as there were other things that didn't need to be hanging from the ceiling aside from lights ─ which she had a ton of. "They are charms." The girl supplied as she hung the last one.
"I understand." He didn't really, but who was he to argue with a woman and what she did with her own store.
"You really don't, but you are entitled to your own thoughts." The red haired woman said, and even though she had just called him a liar ─ which he had done so, no matter how small ─ Hiruzen only found it amusing that she would even call it outright to someone she had just met. "Just don't be surprised if you're proved wrong."
"I'll try." Hiruzen watched her climb down the ladder that didn't even wobble with the shifting weight. Hiruzen thought that it was a ladder that was singularly stationed in that spot, on its own on purpose ─ it wouldn't be strange to think with everything else in the store that didn't make sense ─ but it had moved, when the woman had lifted it up and set it against a bookshelf that housed frames of scenes that Hiruzen didn't find artistic at all, and more were like photographs that were done when the subject moved or when the finger triggered before it was supposed to.
But Hiruzen didn't get a chance to contemplate more about the subject because the woman had smiled at him and asked him if he wanted a beverage. Well more along the lines of ─
"I'll get you a nice cup of coffee, you need one."
He didn't like coffee. He was more of a tea person, but the woman had gone to the back of the counter and had poured a cup of coffee for him before he had a chance to complain.
"You will like this one ─ more precisely you would love it."
Hiruzen found her completely lovely. Even in the way that she was so assuming and completely sure of herself in whatever she said. "I doubt it, I'm not really a fan of coffee."
"Then take a sip." She handed him the cup, a smile on her face, and a twinkle in her eyes that never left since the beginning. "I won't say I told you so."
Hiruzen decided to humor her, and after taking a sip of the coffee, Hiruzen couldn't contain his smile once it landed on his tongue. Watching the girl before him with a smile that almost split her face, how wide her grin was. A finely defined brow raised as if saying ─
"I thought you wouldn't say it."
"Was I thinking it too loudly?"
Hiruzen didn't hold back the laugh that burst forth. She was really lovely. Red haired, green eyed beauty. If it weren't for the lack of chakra that he could feel from her, or the lack of physical training that he could see in her moves ─ though there was a grace about her movements, it was nothing like that noted in ninja's ─ he would have assumed she was an Uzumaki. But it was just their coloring that she had. None of their potent chakra, none of their strength, none of their vivacious personalities, and none of their brashness. But there was a strength in her all the same, and a grace that could be seen in ladies of the court that surrounded the Daimyo, but hers was definitely more refined. If Hiruzen didn't know any better, he would have assumed that she was hiding among this mess to distract people from her ranking.
"I'm thinking you didn't find what you wanted to in my shop."
"No unfortunately." But he found something he didn't expect. He had heard from the Daimyo that he visited earlier in the morning and found the activities of his son shared with him ─ though the Daimyo didn't know any personal details about his son, he did know that there was a store that his son frequented a shop and there were rumors about Asuma being sweet on a girl.
He had thought it would have been a ninja that he was seeing secretly, and the shop was some place they had frequented ─ because apparently this shop also served as a cafe, hence why he was enjoying his first coffee ever. But Hiruzen was much more delighted at seeing that this girl may be the one that he was seeing. It was easy to see how his son had fallen in love with this girl ─ he was halfway in love with her already and he didn't have months in her company.
"Yes. I am fond of surprises myself." The girl said as she nursed her own cup of tea.
"You are sharp."
"I just pay attention." The woman smiled at him before nodding her head towards the gathering of comfortable mismatched couches in front of a wooden fireplace. "Want to sit comfortably before we get started?"
Hiruzen nodded his head. "My name is Hiruzen."
"I always forget to introduce myself." She blushed in her embarrassment. "I'm Hariel Potter, nice to meet you."
"What is this shop of yours?"
"It is a little of a mess isn't it?" Hariel looked around, admiring her own little shop with a fond smile on her face. "It's just a few things that I adore ─ thought it would be nice to share to the world. I have tons of them. Collected through the years."
"You can't be that old."
"I am not." Hariel waved towards everything in the room. An assortment items, that Hiruzen was a little reminded of an antique shop. "It's more like it has been handed down through generations and I have no use of them really. If I kept them all I'd be a hoarder."
"They look expensive."
"I made the prices reasonable."
Hiruzen noted that one of the items were priced ridiculously lower than they were worth. "It seems like robbery ─ for you."
"I know what I'm doing. Don't worry."
"I just think it won't be very successful for you if you don't make a profit."
"I'm not in any financial ruin."
"You might come to it."
"If I tell you I am so rich that not all the riches of the elemental nations combined could ever match me, what would you say?"
"You are a liar."
Hariel smiled and looked at him in that knowing way of hers. Hiruzen doubted himself for a second. But there was no way. It was just a figure of speech. "Well I tried."
"What is going on here?"
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Asuma never expected his father to be there, sitting on a couch and talking with Hariel, when he had walked into the shop. He had expected, like always, to be greeted by the same bell that rings when he opens the door, and a welcoming smile directed at him, as Hariel greets him with whatever beverage she deemed he would need for the day.
Instead he finds his father talking with his girl friend ─ no romantic involvement as of yet, not that there would be later, not that he would be averse to the idea, but it was just too complicated at the moment ─ so in his surprise he might have sounded a little harsh in his greeting.
"Asuma, you're not the only person that enjoys my coffee."
"That's my father." Asuma still couldn't believe that his father was there, sitting in that chair, in this store out of all the other, enjoying the company of this one girl out of all the others out there. It was just ridiculous that his father found the one person he was acquainted with that was a civilian.
Gossipers.
That must be it.
His father listened to gossip.
Those guys really couldn't shut their mouth.
"I know." Hariel could not have possibly known this. Even in that mysterious way of hers that he had not asked about yet.
"How could you know?"
"He just looks like your father."
"I take after my mother, even my father says so ─ we aren't even the same height."
"Do you doubt me?" Hariel raised a brow at him, a silent challenge. "After all this time?"
No. Asuma didn't, she knows everything. It was a woman thing. Whatever. He would live with this. "I just find it hard to believe that he found this place."
"My store is quite popular." Hariel scooted over to make room for him in the armchair. It was a spacious one ─ Hariel had ones told him it was built for giants, He just took her word for it, either way her stories helped sell the items in her store. Hariel handed him a cup of tea.
"What brings you here?" Asuma looked at his father, who was studying him carefully. And Asuma didn't need Hariel to tell him that his father was watching them and thinking something along the lines of them being together.
Before Hiruzen could answer him. Hariel had spoken up.
"We are."
Asuma looked at Hariel in suprrise, alongside with his father, though his dad was more pleased and he was more shocked at the announcement.
"What?" Asuma felt like this chair was too small now. Asuma couldn't breathe. His stomach was in his chest and his heart was pounding. There was no air here.
"Well aren't we?" Hariel pushed the tea cup closer to him, before turning to look at his father. "We are friends Hiruzen."
Asuma watched his father smile and accept the answer. Sipping more of his cup of coffee.
"I'll accept that answer, for now." Hiruzen set his coffee down. "And to answer your question Asuma. I had come here to see you, see how you are."
Asuma looked his father in the eye. "I am fine."
"I see that. I had gone to the Daimyo earlier and found out that were always found in this store. I can see now why. Hariel is a great friend." Hiruzen said pointedly.
Asuma fought down the blush that was starting to creep up. And the butterflies that had been rampant in his stomach earlier was starting up again. He couldn't do this right now.
"Hiruzen, you know about time don't you?"
"All too well."
Asuma was lost. He didn't know what had transpired between the two but he knew that they had come to an understanding and they were talking in a secret code together ─ and he just realized that Hariel speaks similar to that of his father, all secret meanings and such. He didn't like feeling out of the loop.
"Well I think it is time for me to go." Hiruzen stood up and set the coffee down on the coffee table. "I am glad to have met you Hariel. You are truly lovely company ─ if only I was younger."
Hariel laughed lightly beside him.
"Asuma, it was nice seeing you again. You are welcome home anytime."
"Goodbye Father."
And with that Hiruzen turned towards Hariel again, a pleased smile on his face before giving Asuma a look that he did not want to think about right now. He wasn't ready to face it just yet. He hasn't even gotten used to the idea of a future further than 5 years.
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Christmas.
Hariel's favorite time of year.
Asuma entered the shop and took in the smell of hot chocolate and freshly baked cookies. The shop was rearranged, most of the furnishings and the decor pushed aside to make room for the Christmas tree that though a slimmer tree, was still massive, the top of the tree reaching the ceiling, and an assortment of gift boxes and books and teddy bears that danced and sing on their own surrounded the base of the tree.
It was quite breathtaking, the shop looked like a something you would find in a storybook with all the lights hanging from the ceiling that was painted like the night sky and the lone tree and the dark wooden floors, and some small lights floating around ─ she said it was magic, but he just thought it was fireflies.
There were a few patrons in the store, and they could be found gathering together in front of the fireplace and many of the designated seating areas around the shop. Her store had become a place where younger people go to have their dates ─ with designated private seating areas separated by sheer curtains of multiple colors, or by specifically arranged bookshelves ─ and with the eccentric decor, it kind of made the place more interesting because of it. At least it broke the ice.
"You're here early." Hariel stepped out of the backroom, a tray full of brownies. "Take a seat, I am just going to lay this out first ─ oh and I have a gingerbread hot chocolate that I would think you would really like."
"It sounds too sweet." Asuma sat on one of the armchairs that were arranged beside the centre bookshelves.
"You are going to like it either way."
Asuma watched Hariel disappear behind the counter, and he fished out that gift he had for her from his pocket. He fixed the ribbon a top the small blue box and arranged the tiny little tag that had her name on it. He was nervous. He hadn't really given a present to a woman before during Christmas that wasn't his teammate since he was a child or that wasn't a family member. Last year, he had been away on a mission.
"What do you have there?" Hariel asked as she sat on the seat across from him, a cup of hot beverage, generously topped with whipped cream set in front of him.
Nervously Asuma pushed the gift towards her, hoping that she would enjoy his gift. "It's a little something that I bought for you."
"A gift for me? For christmas?" Hariel smiled slyly at him, the gift firmly in both hands, ready to pull at the ribbons. "Shouldn't there be a second one? You missed last year."
"Ha ha ha." Asuma waved his hand at her. "Just open it."
"Don't be so nervous. I will like it either way." Hariel slowly started to peel back the wrapping. "I'm pretty sure you got my hint that I wanted that new owl stamp being sold at the bookstore?"
Asuma was caught speechless. He thought that she was just obsessed about the owls, but then he should've taken it as a hint.
"I'm kidding, calm down." Hariel giggled at the sight of his panicking face.
As the last tape was pulled back and the box lid of the gift was opened, Hariel gasped at the sight, and Asuma couldn't help the smile of satisfaction that graced his face.
"Where did you find this?" Hariel took hold of the dark blue crystal that glittered inside as the light hit it at just the right angle. It looked like the stars were trapped inside the rock ─ its own little piece of the universe captured and immortalized in a little stone.
"I found it in Snow Country." Asuma said pointedly. "I didn't think about giving it to you then, I wanted to save it. Anyway, I had been scouting a cave ─ details I cant give you ─ but I had found that gleaming on its own in the distance, and I thought of you."
"It's beautiful." Hariel whispered as she admired it, lifting the dark crystal and moving it about to capture the light at different angles and seeing the rock shine in a different way inside. "I love it, Asuma, thank you."
"I'm glad." Asuma took a sip of his drink, and let the feeling of pleasing Hariel wash over him.
"I have a gift for you too. I'll be right back." Hariel stood up from her seat and ran towards one of the bookshelves that housed those strange photographs.
He really hoped that it wasn't one of those strange photos that she was going to give him. Not that he won't be appreciative, but they just didn't make sense to him. But seeing her grab one of the wooden framed photographs, Asuma reminded himself to smile and be pleased when receiving it. They didn't have the same taste in art, but at least it would be a reminder of her in his own home.
Hariel sat back infront of him, a serious look on her face. "I want you to have an open mind ─"
Asuma nodded. He will accept this gift with an open mind ─ no matter how strange he thought it would be.
"I was actually quite surprised that you didn't ask about these photographs that I had displayed ─ but I guess it would be a great surprise for you." Hariel presented the photo to him, and as expected it was a scenic photograph, but surprisingly it was a decent shot compared to what he thought it would be.
"You can come out now." Hariel whispered towards the photograph.
For a split second, Asuma had assumed that Hariel had gone crazy with all the special drinks that she was making for everybody ─ but before his eyes, he saw Hariel peak at him and a wicked smile on her face, before stepping forward and waving at him. He dropped the frame, not being able to take his eyes off the little Hariel that was inside the photo that just crossed her arms and rolled her emerald green eyes.
"Calm down."
"What is this?"
"It's a photograph."
"You are in it." Asuma quickly thought that the person infront of him was an impersonation and the real Hariel was trapped in the photograph by some fuinjutsu master ─ probably greater than Jiraiya because never had he heard seal trapping a person inside a photo and allow them to move.
"Stop your crazy thoughts Asuma." Hariel snapped her fingers and the world around them froze; the shadows along the walls, from the light, stood still; the noise that was there moments ago from the patrons and the gentle music that Hariel plays for Christmas was silenced; the bustling crowded streets outside the window had stopped. "Take a deep breath."
Asuma sprang forward, his hand quickly having drawn a kunai from the pouch on his leg and had it held against the pale skin of Hariel's neck. The other hand trapping both her delicate wrists onto the table. "What are you?"
Hariel sighed, the motion causing the blade to cut her neck. The sight of blood caused Asuma to slightly release the pressure of the blade on her skin ─ to him, even if it was an imposter, it had Hariel's face, and he couldn't stomach the site of her blood because of him. But he kept his resolve.
"I am a witch."
"A witch?"
"Like those stories you hear as a child ─ well if you were a civilian ─ about pretty girls riding broomsticks and waving a wand making wishes come true."
"Don't joke with me!"
"I've never lied to you."
Asuma remembered the conversation they had when they had first two years ago."Is this one of your secrets?"
"Yes."
"You never told me."
"You weren't ready to ask."
"A witch."
"Magik Shoppe."
"Those drinks that made me feel better?"
"Special recipe's ─ added potions ─ to help you what you needed for those days."
Asuma recalled always feeling energized after a tiring day at work or after training; the days where he was stressed, and having them all melt away after a nice cup of tea; and he felt more level headed and calmer ─ aside from this moment.
"How did you do this?" Asuma gestured around them. "You can stop time?"
"It is more like I put us outside of time. So everything is happening in the world around us, but we are currently outside of it, but still existing, but not interacting with everything around us. When we go back, an appropriate amount of time would have passed." Hariel explained.
Asuma let go of her, and felt a little guilty when he saw her rub her wrists ─ which was slowly starting to purple at where he had grabbed them ─ before she made a swipe at her neck and the blood and cut dissappeared.
"You can heal?"
"Episkey, for minor injuries."
"You'd be a great medic ninja."
"I think you can imagine why I don't want to expose myself."
Asuma agreed. If anyone knew what she could do ─ even the ones that he had seen her do with her healing and the possibilities she could do more with a more complex spell, and this displacing thing she did with them ─ well she won't have a nice life. Asuma knew she would be treated like those singular bloodline holders, forced to breed. He needed to hide her.
The moment Asuma sat back down, the world around them came back to life, and it was like fast tracked till it slowed and they caught up to the right time. "You should hide."
"I am."
"You called it Magik Shoppe."
"No one believes in magic ─ anyway, you are the only one who has seen anything magical, with the picture, but everything else can be seen as chakra based, like my healing." Hariel waved off his concern. "Remember, you found me out because I told you, not the other way around."
Asuma nodded, though he was going to pay closer attention to Hariel, and make sure she was safe ─ it couldn't hurt having more caution. He took hold of the photo, and watched as the photo Hariel, waved at him again, before gesturing to something off the frame and in came photo Asuma.
"It's still a photo, just a moving one, that in the picture is not you trapped in some magical way." Hariel quickly said to him, to calm him."It is like a visual capture in time, I tweaked it a little to move the way it does, outside of what was captured in that small slice in time. Usually photographs are limited to what was captured in those few minutes of that moment ─ showing only what we had done in those few moments as well."
"This is really cool." Though Asuma found it a little creepy at first, he was slowly realizing that it was just like television and movies, just in a photograph.
"I'm glad you like it." Hariel took a sip of her own drink. "I can't wait till you see everything else."
.
"Asuma, when did you get back?" Kakashi sat in the booth in front of him at the Akimichi barbeque shop.
"Kakashi," Asuma greeted his fellow ninja. "I've been well."
"I see you've gotten more vain since you had last been here," Kakashi indicated to the mirror that Asuma had in his hand. The same mirror that he had been conversing with Hariel earlier.
"Well, I am in court all the time."
Kakashi laughed, before giving an order to the waitress that had stopped by to take his order. "Have anything been interesting happening in Fire City?"
"What's there to do aside from training and guarding the Daimyo?" Asuma accepted his tea from the waitress ─ deeply disappointed at the taste of it not being anything like Hariel's.
"Well I know for sure that you haven't been keeping in touch with Kurenai at all ─ so it must be another woman."
Asuma felt a little guilty that the way things ended with Kurenai was full of loose ends. He had left her before they could get started, but still he had left her with a hope that things could be picked up again whenever he came back. But that was before Hariel.
"She's not the other woman."
"Well that's not how Kurenai is seeing it."
"When have you become such a gossip."
"Since I've had all this free time, and have spent two years with a moody red eyed genjutsu mistress in all our weekly get together." Kakashi gave him a pointed look, blaming him for what he had been subjected to.
"I met someone."
"I thought so." Kakashi leaned in. "What's her name? Is she pretty? You have a picture? What is she like?"
Asuma did have a picture. Hariel had given him a tiny wallet size that he could take with him anywhere. He knew that photo Hariel would stay still if shown to others. "I do have a picture of Hariel."
He fished it out of his pocket and handed it towards Kakashi, actually very eager to show Hariel to his friend. Share her beauty to those that had never seen her.
Kakashi gave an appreciative whistle. "She's beautiful." He gave Asuma a sly look. "Must be very passionate."
Asuma choked on his tea. "Stop thinking the whole world is like those dirty books you read."
"I simply said that she seems very lively and a lot of fun."
"Stop it."
"You're the one whose mind is in the gutter."
"Just eat."
"So her name is Hariel."
"Yes."
"She a civilian?"
"Yes, she has her own shop."
"A store owner, how did you two meet?"
"I was staring at her." Asuma admitted with a blush on his cheeks.
Kakashi laughed lightly. "I can see why."
Asuma took the photograph back and tried not to react when he saw Hariel wink at him from the photo. "I couldn't help it, and she was actually the one who started everything. I would have been happy just to look at her, but she took my hand and everything just happened."
"So she takes charge." Kakashi smiled when Asuma choked on his barbeque pork. "Your fault, you set it all up."
"How is Kurenai doing?" Asuma asked lightly.
"Well she didn't share anything with me, but I know she was angry." Kakashi answered between bites. "Everytime your name came up her chakra would spike up...you shouldn't have done what you did."
"I didn't know things would have gone the way it did ─ it just happened." Hariel was not planned. She just appeared in front of him, just like by chance he had walked upon her; things just happened after that. Just like time waits for no one, we are just trying to catch up.
"Why not tell me now."
Asuma looked over his shoulder and saw Kurenai standing before him. Looking as breathtaking as she did the day he left her those years ago. Asuma absently noted that Kakashi had body flickered out of the restaurant ─ leaving him to face Kurenai alone, and the bill.
"Kurenai." Asuma whispered.
"It's been a while Asuma." Kurenai took the seat Kakashi just vacated. "So her name is Hariel."
"She's not at fault." Asuma wanted to protect Hariel, even if just against Kurenai's thoughts about her. Not that Kurenai was mean, she never had been, she had always been a level headed woman, but girls could be vindictive when things they see as their's are stolen from them.
"I know it's your fault, I'm not blaming the girl." Kurenai had always been a sharp girl.
Asuma cleared his throat. "Yes."
"Why didn't you say anything." Kurenai leveled those red eyes on him ─ red eyes that he had found beautiful a long time ago. They were still beautiful.
But Hariel's were captivating.
"I'm sorry. It never occurred to me. I should have told you."
"You forgot me?" Kurenai whispered.
Honesty, Asuma reminded himself before admitting quite difficultly. "Yes."
Asuma watched as Kurenai's face briefly showed her despair, before it was replaced quickly with an empty blank face ─ ninja conditioning kicking in. "I shouldn't have let you leave."
"You wouldn't have been able to stop me. I was the one who left and I needed to leave then." Asuma admitted.
"But you admit that if you didn't leave, we could have been together."
"Yes."
"Is she beautiful."
Asuma looked at her. Looked at her closely, studying every inch of her face, and could honestly admit that Kurenai had always been a lovely beautiful. She was a stunning with her pale feature, deep onyx colored hair, and eyes a bright ruby red that were so striking. She had her own beauty. But after Hariel. Kurenai's face he found too strong, her eyes the wrong color and the wrong shape, her hair not the fiery wild mane that Asuma loved to play with, her lips too full and the wrong shade of pink, and her physic too robust compared to the slim and dainty form of Hariel that he grew familiar with.
"She is a different kind of beauty. I cannot compare you two." Asuma admitted honestly.
"So she is beautiful." Kurenai had a bitter look on her face.
"I didn't want to hurt you."
"Are you going to marry her?" Kurenai's voice broke at the end of her question.
Asuma took a deep breath. He didn't want to hurt Kurenai, but lying to her when she would find out either way ─ there was no changing his mind. "Yes."
Kurenai took a deep breath, and Asuma watched her as she went through the same routine she'd done when they were children and in the same team as genin ─ counting silently back from ten and taking 5 deep breathes before opening her eyes and look straight at him. There was anger in her eyes. And he knew he shouldn't have expected anything else. He would have felt the exact same way if he was the one on the receiving end.
"Congratulations. But I would appreciate it if you would keep yourself away from me for a while Sarutobi-san." And with that Kurenai body flickered away.
Asuma took a deep calming breath, and a familiar ring from the mirror alerted him of a call from Hariel. He answered it, even if he felt like being alone, he knew Hariel always knew what to say to make him feel better.
Hariel appeared in the mirror before him, her gentle smile greeting him, and her eyes a soft green as they looked upon him. "Asuma, years of friendship isn't easily erased ─ it will take time, you just need to be there when she is ready."
"I love you." Asuma whispered to her.
"I love you too."
.
The day Asuma had returned to Konoha, was the day that Konoha acquired a new Magik Shoppe in the heart of the village. And Hariel was the talk of the town, her fiery red hair, and bright green eyes, with an ever present smile ─ well she was breathtaking and the whole village knew it.
Asuma frowned as a male patron had talked too long with Hariel, but he followed her wishes and kept quiet ─ he didn't want to ruin her chance in prospering in the village just as she did in Fire Country.
"Do you have to smile at them like that?" Asuma asked as Hariel finally sat with him in their usual seat on the leather couch in front of the stone fireplace.
Magic was great. The day they moved and bought the place that would be their home and Magic Shoppe, well it was all done in a day, but of course they had to take the appropriate amount of time for 'renovation' and 'construction' before they could open. They did have people over at their home, which took up the third and fourth level of the building.
"Why did you have to add those pranking items in the inventory?"
"Naruto." Hariel said fondly.
Since the shop opened, Naruto had been a patron. He loved the store, and he couldn't blame him, it was every child's dream ─ filled with lots of treasures hidden in every corner. It also helped that the store was the only place that Naruto was truly welcomed in without any hesitation and extortion. And Hariel loved him. The blonde haired blue eyed little boy stole her heart.
Asuma shook his head, laughing at the idea of a little boisterous and loud blonde going around armed with ton tongue toffee and peruvian instant darkness powder. "Oh my god, you just made things really interesting."
Hariel grinned widely at him. "I like him."
"We can't take him."
"Why not?"
"He's too important."
"But he's all alone."
"You still can't take him."
"Well I do need an employee."
"He is a child." Asuma reasoned.
Hariel raised a brow at him. "A child living on his own since the age of 5, taking care of himself, with no one to help, and is expected to be a killer by the age of 12 ─ I think that he can work for me here at the shop."
Asuma held back his smirk. It was one way to go around the council. "Fine."
"And he would be a great babysitter." Hariel whispered.
It took a moment before Asuma finally understood what Hariel had just told him. "What?"
Hariel kissed him on the lips. "You're going to be a father ─ so we need a babysitter, to help me take care of the child when we are busy taking care of the shop and you going on your missions." Hariel kissed him again before continuing. "So I think it would be best for Naruto to come stay with us, it would just make things more convenient."
Asuma could only look at her. "I am going to be a father."
"Yes you are, now can you─"
Asuma kissed her on the lips, gathering her small form ─ being extra careful around her middle ─ and drew her tight against him. "I am going to be a dad."
"Have you not been paying attention?"
"You want Naruto here to help take care of our baby, yeah, we can do that ─ I'm going to be a dad." Asuma breathed her in, and kissed her on the neck.
"Good. I will add him to our records of employees, and he can move in whenever he is ready."
"It won't be that easy, the council will cause a lot of noise about this."
"Don't worry. They won't even notice." Hariel twirled her pointer finger like a wand.
"Magic?" Asuma asked leaning back on the couch and dragging her on top of him.
"What's the point of having magic if I don't use it once in a while?" Hariel rested her chin on his chest, eyes twinkling at him.
He drew her up to kiss her deeply, only to have her cut him off.
"What would your father think of us having a baby before you even proposed to me?"
Shit.
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THE END
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Note: I enjoyed writing this.