- Get on.
She could trace the demarcation between the dark and light blue of his kimono. His hair looked like silk and was gently laid on the back of his collar. Them too were blue. She wasn't responding, so he turned to see what she was waiting for.
Chocho had gone back two dramatic steps, and a nervous sweat seemed to run down on her forehead. She blushed and looked away while exclaiming:
- There's no way I'm getting on your back Mitsuki!
- Chocho you can't walk, and we have to get to my parent's house before it gets too dark.
He explained calmly like she didn't know herself. She would have liked to protest, but the few steps she had just taken gave her an undisputable verdict. Her ankle was horribly hurting. They had to take several breaks during their walk until now. Mitsuki decided that it would be better to carry her on his back until they get to his home. His parent would be able to treat Chocho's injuries and analyze the whole state of his body.
- No. I refuse.
She crossed her arms. He sighed and got up. Such a stubborn girl…
- If you don't get on, you and I, we will have to spend the night in this place.
She looked timidly around. A dark, dense forest, and a thick, menacing fog, had sought to surround them for a while now. The frequent cries of owls, and gleams hidden in the corners of the bushes, suddenly pressured the girl. Even with her eyes closed, she felt the anguish of this place. Spending the night here was probably the last thing she wanted.
She didn't have any more Chakra left, she could not even use her butterfly mode to reduce her weight, how Mitsuki was intending to lift her?
Furthermore…
She stared at him for a moment. Mitsuki arched an eyebrow, curious about the sudden attention she was giving him. She looked away right after making eye contact, a pissed expression on her face. Mitsuki didn't understand anything. And now he was watching her face turn red for no reason.
"You and I, we'll have to spend the night in this place."
Chocho's mind was imagining something very different from Mitsuki's original intention.
She cleared her throat.
- I'll get on your back.
She had whispered so low that he had hardly heard. She was embarrassed. He squats again in front of her. She gently put her hands on his shoulders and moved timidly closer.
- You better watch your hands, you pervert!
She threatened him with a weak voice, shaken by her emotions at the moment, the embarrassment of letting her whole body fall on him. He firmly grasped her thighs in his hands.
- Chocho, your symptoms are getting worse.
He started walking, and they didn't talk much for the first fifteen minutes. Chocho was surprisingly silent. The extreme fatigue she felt was one reason, but the other one was the touch of Mitsuki. She did not want to, but the atmosphere of this place, and the sudden shrieking of the animals lurking in the shadows, made her tighten her grip on the young man.
- Chocho, are you okay?
- Yes, I'm fine, sorry. When wil we get to your house?
- A few more minutes if we continue with the same pace.
- Hey Mituski… Do you think everyone is safe right now?
Mitsuki went silent for a moment before answering. He was worried as well. Team 7 and Team 10 went on a joint mission to a nearby village, but someone attacked them during their mission. To think that even Moegi sensei and Konohamaru sensei lost to the enemy, and has been kidnapped... He did not know more about the enemy, just that his powers were astonishing, the six young ninjas had to fight the enemy together after they lost their sensei. They gave everything they had, and it was still not enough.
The reason they were separated now was Boruto's Jogan. Mitsuki was not sure if Boruto even used the power of his eye consciously or not, but the current situation was the best considering the enemy overwhelming superiority. His eye had sent Mitsuki and Chocho in this forest. Shikadai and Inojin had been absorbed by a different temporal space passage, Boruto and Sarada as well. Chances were that their friends were still in this world, and not in another dimension.
- I'm sure they are safe. My parent will help us find them as soon as possible.
- Inojin knows medical ninjutsu, Shikadai will find a way to go back to the village, I'm sure... But Sarada…
The last thing she saw was her friend bleeding, and almost half conscious.
- Don't worry, she's with Boruto. He will protect her.
- But the enemy was ... so strong.
She seemed to remember the fight; it was a total chaos. She shook her head suddenly.
- No! You're right, this is not the time to be afraid!
Mitsuki smiled.
- If you need comfort you can hug me.
- Thank you Mitsuki you are… wait, what?!
- Konohamaru sensei did it once, when I felt lost inside, and it was hurting. It's something human do often to support each other, right? I don't mind, you can use me.
- Wha-What… are you talking about!? I feel great, okay?! And stop flirting with me in such a situation! Mitsuki!
She blushed violently, and turned her face. She tried to calm her pounding heart. It was in vain.
Then without saying a word she snuggled her head a little more against his neck, and tightened the embrace of her arms around it.
Mitsuki was surprised, and looked at her, but she had her eyes fleeing and determined not to meet his golden ones.
Having Chocho's arms around him, feeling her breath on his skin and her sweet scent was for Mitsuki, far from being unpleasant. It definitely felt different from his sensei's hug, but he liked this feeling a little bit more.
He continued to walk, a happy smile on his face, as if nothing had happened.