Since I haven't been writing romance stories for a VERY long time, I thought that I'd try this one out. Enjoy! R&R :D
Hidden Affection
Chapter 1
Chance Meeting
--Sasori's POV--
Grandmother Chiyo never had to create that self-sacrificing jutsu for me. There was no reason for it. I was happy the way I was in my puppet body. I was able to obtain immortality and discard those pitiful feelings. I became my own personal weapon, powerful and independent. I needed nobody. And what happened to that old hag? She died, yet she could've chosen to live longer. Why? She let her emotions get the best of her and sacrificed herself for the life of a boy she barely knew. If I still had feelings, I might have been able to understand (or at least try to), but I don't. When I "died", I wasn't even human. I'm just another killing machine, like all of my toys in my gallery. I will never be able to feel, but nor do I want to. There are several reasons why I chose this life, reasons that nobody will ever understand, for they have all gone to the grave with me.
After my body was destroyed, my soul had nowhere else to reside in. Now all I am is just a restless wandering spirit. I have nothing and need nothing. Nobody can see me, therefore I am undisturbed. Yet, I am constantly feeling hollow. Not lonely, but hollow. It's an emotion unfamiliar to me, as if something very important is missing. I can never dismiss it too long, for the moment I see another human pass by me, this feeling comes back.
No matter how many times I think about it, I cannot understand why my soul is unable to rest peacefully. It should have disappeared just like Grandmother Chiyo's once the battle was over. I know that I had no regrets of anything in life before I died, so why can't I just pass on? Or is this some kind of punishment from the gods? If it is, then it is futile. What is the use of punishing a person without telling them the reason? As long as the miscreants aren't able to recognize their mistakes, they will never learn.
It's been a year since I lost my body to those two. The hollowness is still here. I sometimes wonder if this is how Orochimaru felt when he first left his old body. However, I'm sure he eventually got used to it. Why, even now he's continuing his search to find a newer, stronger vessel than his own. Sometimes I think that the two of us seems to have more in common than what most people would think. We've both gotten rid of our first body for both power and immortality. We've also hidden our "new" bodies under another one.
Moreover, both of us were fools, thinking that we've mastered and perfected immortality, when in reality there is no such thing for even the greatest kings and largest mountains eventually fall prey to time and nature. Not even my greatest masterpieces were able to endure them. When I left, there was nobody to take care of them, and they all rotted away. As of the time I made myself a doll, that was probably the first time I felt so heartbroken. I wanted to leave this world, to shield my eyes from the hostility of time. After seeing my creations in that pitiful state, I felt fear. Would my body end up like that, even while there was still life inside it?
I've already checked it before and confirmed one of my worst trepidation. My body peacefully sleeps next to my other broken marionettes. By now, its surfaces have been completely covered over in mold and decay. To this day, I'm still not sure if being like this is a blessing or a curse, but I don't want to think about it much. Call me a coward if you want, but I won't give in. All I want to think about right now is just a solution on getting me to cease to exist.
I spend almost all of my days backtracking all those steps I took while living and following all those I have encountered. Some, like Deidara, have already left this world. However, there are also those whom I have never met before. They have also been indirectly affected by all the actions I took. Personally, I don't care too much about how they feel, but just as long as I can find happiness from them, I'd do anything. I would possess those close to them, and maybe even those not-so-close people.
Looking at the crimson sky, I sighed. Another day gone, and still no luck. Roaming around the streets of my old hometown, I passed by (and through) many villagers and children. Simply by looking at them, I can feel something tugging at my heart, or whatever it is inside my transparent chest. I can tell I've gotten more expressive and open since becoming a spirit, but not by much. Suddenly, I "felt" a gust of wind slip past my "body".
Where there was originally an empty alley now stood a young blonde girl with a large fan. Her hair was tied up in a bizarre style. One, two, three, four ponytails. Interesting… I could hear a small voice kept nagging in my head. She looked awfully familiar, as if I'd met her while I was still alive. It's strange how I can't remember it though… What kind of person would be able forget that kind of head?
"Who is she?" I whispered to myself.
The sound of my voice stiffened up the girl. Immediately she got into a defensive position. So she's a shinobi… "Who's there? Reveal yourself!" she called out, which was followed by an echo. Her fingers tightened onto her oversized fan. "If you want to fight, then at least come out from your hiding place. Or are you a coward so afraid of being beaten down by a girl that you need to launch a surprise attack to be sure to win?"
It's really not like me to forget. Even if I am unable to be seen or unable to be felt, people can still hear my voice. When I found that out, I accidentally put the lives of several shinobis in hiding in a very dangerous situation. A few died. The rest will probably be completely scarred for the rest of their lives, both physically and emotionally. But nobody will blame me, though I ought to be.
"I'm right here," I replied calmly. If I ignore or lie to her, the gods might end up sentencing me to a longer time on this land. Compared to her voice, mines sounded completely emotionless.
"Fine," she gritted her teeth, "If that's the way you want to leave the world, then so be it."
She bit her thumb, allowing the crimson liquid run freely down her wrists and arm. With lightning speed, she splattered it onto her fan. Blades of wind followed a white weasel-like creature, which obviously, passed through me, leaving me unfazed. Everything around me, though, was left in a pitiful condition. I'm guessing the emotion I'm experiencing right now is a mix of amusement and pity. This feeling increased even more as I continued watching her pant and lean onto her "weapon".
"You chose your own death," she whispered while leaving.
At those words, the hollowness within me doubled. I chose my own death. Ha-ha. I've never really though too much about why I died. Choosing my death? This entire time, I thought that the only reason I lost was because I was too weak. Perhaps if I had chosen to stay human, I wouldn't have ended up like this. Too late for that now.
Her footsteps were becoming fainter now. For some strange reason, I'm feeling intrigued by her. With nothing else to do tonight, I might as well follow her. If I wait until later to pursue her, it'll be too late. The winds here blow harsher at night. By morning the footprints will have disappeared. I tagged along, and walked alongside her. Finally, I acquire a companion, yet it is only from a one-man perspective. Behind us lied a trail of footsteps, though none belonged to me. I'm sure this is what most people would call, "bittersweet".
--Temari's POV--
I slammed the door of the house shut, dropped down, and laid there motionless. A tremendous sigh escaped from my lips.
This just isn't my week. First Gaara assigns me to an S ranked mission without warning, because everybody else is away on some other mission. Then the target he gives me just HAS to be the type that enjoys burrowing himself underground, wasting a ton of my chakra on my wind and summoning jutsus. I managed to kill him in the end, with me half-dead. All of a sudden, a messenger hawk tells me to head straight back home once the mission is accomplished. Right after coming home from the assignment, some random guy shows up challenging me to a fight. I waste more chakra on another summoning jutsu. And Kankurou tells me that Gaara is busy tending to another important business, so I'll have to wait until tomorrow.
I slowly pushed myself up from the position and dragged myself to my bed. My eyes gently closed but shot back open again to survey the room. Ever since that random guy challenged me, I've been feeling like there's someone stalking me. Reaching underneath my pillow, I felt around for my kunai. I smirked inwardly as my fingers closed around the handles.
Waiting for a few seconds, I tried to sense out his aura. He must have been very good at concealing it. Surprisingly, it was even better than my last prey. After pinpointing his location, my chakra quietly flowed down towards my hands and…
WHOOSH!
My kunai went flying out from my pillow towards the direction of his aura. A small hole appeared through the wall, and the presence of the chakra vanished. But the feeling of the eyes on me increased. I could feel sweat running down my face, and the sound of it dripping onto the floor echoed through my head.
"Who's there?" My voice sounded pretty weak. I bit my lip. "Who's there, dammit!?" I cried out in a louder and fiercer voice. There. Much better.
I had expected him or her to come out, but instead, I only felt a silvery voice next to my ear whisper, "I'm not a 'who'. I'm a 'what'," which was followed by a snicker.
I turned around, but there was no one there. Shaking my head, I left the room. I must be feeling weak from the chakra loss to start hearing these things. "A shower ought to be able to lessen the stress," I muttered to myself. After entering the bathroom, the paranoia and anxiety left. Strange. Oh well! I turned handle of the shower and hot water came rushing down.
--Sasori's POV--
I never knew ghosts had blood, or were capable of bleeding. If I had known, I probably wouldn't have been surprised with this nosebleed. As a human, the only time I was able to get them was if I was hit. This is really new. I guess it's a good thing I left before she entered the bathroom, or else I might've died from this "blood"-loss. Following this person might've been a mistake.
Life with feelings and emotions are so troublesome. If everybody lived the way I did, the world would be much more predictable and less unexpected. The gods must enjoy tormenting me. I bet they're even laughing at their new "entertainment". I do not share their sense of humor. The sooner they tell me why I am being punished, the better. I can't wait to leave this place. I belong in t
While I was busy criticizing my persecutor, the girl had silently entered the room without me noticing. With her hair down, she looked completely different, like a total stranger. This person may not be as strange as I thought she was. It may be worthwhile to follow her around more.
--Temari's POV--
That feeling's back again… Ugh… It's going to be a long night…
(A/n) Hope you enjoyed it! :D I'm not too sure if this should be a one-shot or not…but…I guess it all depends on the readers! :D