So, first, I want to start with how sorry I am about this being so late. I know I promised it like four months ago, but school and life got in the way and I'm just now getting back into writing these stories. But I promise you guys! I will do my utmost best to keep up with these stories so that you may enjoy them at your own pace! With that said, please enjoy this first chapter!
Eighteen years old and owning a promise to be engaged, Maia has grown a lot in the past two years. Training in the Hidden Cloud Village was the best choice she'd ever made. Going through many changes in these past couple years, Maia has no idea where she'll be in the years to come, but she does know two things. One, that she now knew how to use Rubi's powers to her advantage. Two, that she loved Kiba with all her heart.
"Hey beautiful," Kiba said, sneaking up on her from behind. He wrapped his arms around the girl of his dreams, smiling. Maia giggled and turned in his arms. She gave him a quick kiss and then pulled back to look up at him. They'd both grown up if she was going to be honest with herself.
"Hey yourself handsome," she replied smiling. Kiba had matured in both mind and body. He'd filled out just a bit more, giving his arms and abdomen more tone then they'd had previously. His jaw and chin were more prominent as well, giving him a manly face. He kept his hair spikey as usual, but that was something Maia loved about him. Her body had matured as well, her curves a bit more prominent now that she was older. Maia had never been a very curvy girl. Her height had stayed relatively the same, growing only a few inches taller than she'd previously been.
"We're going home today Maia, are you excited?" he asked her. Maia nodded, giving him a brilliant smile. She was happy to be going back to Konoha; she needed to see her father and her friends. Though she had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, she refused to let it get to her.
"I can't wait to see my dad!" Maia exclaimed, happy as could be. Kiba smiled at her, holding back the information he'd received some time ago.
"I'm sure he'll be happy to see you again," Kiba murmured, placing his forehead against hers. A huge part of him wanted to tell her, she deserved to know. But it would destroy her to know that he'd been killed. And so Kiba had decided to keep the information to himself. She didn't need to know right now. In fact, he wasn't sure he'd ever tell him on his own. Maybe it was better for her to find out on her own time. Kiba took the girl's hand and looked at the promise ring he'd given her just a month ago. Damn he loved this girl. She was everything to him and he hated to see her upset.
"Yea, well, let's go get Yuuki and make sure she's all packed and ready to go," Maia replied, still smiling. Kiba nodded in agreement and allowed the girl of his dreams to lead him off to their home for the past two years.
Yuuki tossed another shirt in her backpack and then zipped it up. They'd of course bought new clothes while here in the Cloud Village, but she couldn't take all of them with her. She did however, start dressing differently. Walking over to the mirror in her room, Yuuki smiled at her reflection. She too had grown up a little bit. She was twenty years old now and in a prime state of mind. Her body craved for attention, though she deprived it of such. Love just wasn't her thing. Even if Neji was amazing.
"Yuuki, it's time to go," Maia said from the doorway. Yuuki looked over her shoulder and gave her best friend a smile. Nodding, she glanced in the mirror one last time and then grabbed her backpack, shoulder it and left the room with her friend and Kiba.
Neji met up with the three of them at the village gates, all of them ready to be going back home. Kairi and her father stood off to the side, waving at the four shinobi. They were strong that was for sure. The Raikage placed his arm around his daughter and squeezed her shoulder. They'd done all that they could for Maia. Now, it was all up to her.
"Guys, it's really happening. We're going home," Maia said happily. She was excited and nervous all at the same time. Living here the past two years had been fun. They'd gotten away from all the bad stuff in life and made it to a save place. And all at the same time, they'd helped their village mend the problems with the Hidden Cloud Village. A new treaty was definitely in store when they got back.
"Yep," Kiba said, putting his arm around Maia. "Time to go home," he smiled at Maia and the others and then kissed the top of her head. Akamaru barked happily and everyone laughed lightly. A light mood filled the air. Even Yuuki was smiling and laughing.
"That also means back to reality," she commented. Maia shrugged and hugged Kiba.
"Whatever is waiting for us at home, I'm sure we can handle it," she replied. Kiba smiled, a sadness set in his eyes. Neji seemed to notice this and knew exactly why. The boys had been let in on the secret, told not to tell Yuuki and Maia. If they told Yuuki, then she would've told Maia and she would've been too heartbroken to keep training. Her only family was dead. All except for Kurenai's baby. He was all that Maia would have left.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get going!" Yuuki exclaimed. Maia laughed and released Kiba from her hold and shouldered her bag. While the two girls exited the village, Neji pulled Kiba off to the side.
"You know you're going to have to tell her at some point," he whispered. Kiba nodded his agreement.
"I know, I just don't want her to be hurt," he pointed out. Neji sighed.
"Look Kiba, she's going to be hurt anyway. It's just a matter of now or later," and with that, Neji followed after the girls, leaving Kiba to his thoughts. Shaking his head, Kiba tossed that thought aside and followed his friends. He would wait until they were almost home and then he would tell her.
Maia ran for the gates of her home. She'd missed this place, more than she'd been willing to admit. Sakura and her other friends were there waiting for her, knowing the exact day that she'd be returning home.
"Maia!" the pink haired kunoichi yelled. She ran for her friend, as did the others. A huge smile lit up Maia's face as she embraced her friends. She hadn't seen them in years. And after having to leave suddenly, it was nice to see them all again.
"Man it's nice to see you guys!" she exclaimed. Kiba smiled as she hugged her friends. He'd tried to tell her about her father just moments ago, but she was so excited to see her friends that she'd ignored him and ran for the gates.
"Is that an engagement ring?" Ino questioned. Kiba and Maia blushed and the black haired girl shook her head.
"It's a promise ring," she corrected. Sakura smiled and gave her friend a death hug. Ino smirked and through Kiba a glance out the corner of her eye.
"A promise to be married right?" Maia nodded at this question, a huge smile on her face. Sakura and Ino both squealed, happy for their friend. Naruto walked up to Kiba and held his hand out. Kiba took the out stretched hand and took note of the large smile plastered on his face.
"Congrats Kiba, it seems you're one lucky man," Naruto commented. Kiba scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously.
"Yea it seems to be that way doesn't it?" he replied. Naruto nodded and called Neji over.
"Man it's good to see you two, how've you guys been?"
Meanwhile, the girls were off giggling about Maia's promise ring and the lack of ring on Yuuki's hand. They all knew how Neji felt about her and her him. It was completely obvious.
"I don't do relationships," Yuuki stated. Hinata smiled lightly at the comment. She'd seen how she had looked at her cousin. Yuuki was clearly smitten with her older cousin.
"Yuuki, I've seen how you look at my cousin," everyone gave Hinata their attention, seeing as she hardly ever spoke. "And I've also seen how he looks at you. And trust me when I say, I've seen him look at someone the way he looks at you," she told her. Yuuki blushed and her eyes widened. She refused to let that comment get to her. Love was nothing, it meant nothing. It was nothing.
She didn't need love.
Love was stupid.
Love was absolutely nothing to her.
Nothing at all.
Looking away from Hinata and the other girls, Yuuki decided that the best thing to do would be to just leave right now and have some alone time. She didn't want to think about love, especially with anyone other than Maia. That wonderful girl was all she needed to be okay with her life.
"I'm gonna go," she muttered. Yuuki sighed and then jumped away from the girls, using her kunoichi skills to get away from them as fast as she could. Yuuki didn't rather enjoy talking about her life, love life included in that.
Neji watched Yuuki run away from the group of girls ahead of them. His eyes softened. The feelings between them, unspoken yet still there, were probably upsetting her. She seemed to be the type of girl to not be one for love. As was he. Though, he would admit, to himself alone, that some part of him wanted nothing more than someone to love. Neji rejected those thoughts from his mind and he returned his focus to the conversation at hand. The boys were talking on and on about what Kiba's life would like after getting married. Something that Neji, again, couldn't see for himself. Marriage was not in his life plan.
"You sure about this one man?" Naruto asked Kiba. The Inuzuka boy chuckled and nodded. Of course he was sure; he wouldn't have done it if he wasn't.
"Maia means everything to me, I want nothing more than to be with her as long as I can," Kiba admitted to his friends. No one had ever heard Kiba talk like this, so when he made that comment everyone was shocked.
"Man you've grown up a lot," Naruto exclaimed. The blond haired boy was still the same knuckle head he'd always been, just a little older. Something Kiba always admired about him was just that. He could be serious when he needed to be, but other than that, he was always having fun. Akamaru barked and nudged his owner forward. Just in time to save him from the hug attack Naruto was going to give him. Kiba laughed and patted Akamaru's head.
"Good boy," he told his friend. The others shook their heads at Naruto's crumpled body lying on the ground. The blond boy groaned and glared up at Akamaru. Damn dog. Sitting up, Naruto scratched the back of his head and laughed like usual, deciding to brush off that act of resentment.
Yuuki sat in her tiny apartment. Tsunade had set it up for her while they were gone. It was small, but she had nowhere else to go that she knew she could be alone. And Yuuki definitely needed some alone time.
"You cannot hide forever Yuuki," Sapphire told the girl. Running a hand through her hair, Yuuki sighed. She didn't want to deal with any of this. She just wanted to fight the bad guys and get on with it. Yuuki didn't want love and affection. "He loves you Yuuki, he may not know it quite yet, but he does. And I know you love him in return. Act on those feelings young one," Sapphire said. Yuuki, for once, felt the sting of tears at the edges of her eyes. She hadn't cried in years. It had been so very long since she'd shown that kind of emotion.
"But I don't want this," Yuuki murmured. "I don't want any of this. I've never known love and I don't want to start now, not after everything that's happened in my life," she finished. Sapphire sighed within her mind and beckoned to her host. It was obvious the girl needed to be comforted right now. Yuuki allowed herself to fall within the depths of her mind. She needed to get out of this world, to escape everything. Just like she'd done so many times before. Because within the confines of her mind, she was safe from everything. From love, compassion, and all those other feelings that Yuuki wanted no part of. The familiar face of Sapphire gave Yuuki a feeling of comfort. A feeling that no one could touch her, hurt her, or love her more than Sapphire or Maia ever could. They were all that she would ever need. Or so Yuuki wanted to believe.
"Despite what you may believe young one," Sapphire began, putting her arm around Yuuki. "It is okay to love." Yuuki let herself cry just then. It wasn't okay. That's not what she'd been taught. She didn't need a man to make herself feel better. She didn't need someone to say I love you to her. Yuuki just didn't need that to feel better about her life and her choices.
"I'm scared," she muttered, letting her tears fall. Yuuki rested her head on Sapphire's shoulder and cried into the sleeve of her dress.
"I know darling," Sapphire kissed the top of her head and rubbed her shoulder. "It is only natural to fear that which you know not. But my young one," Sapphire pulled back from the blond next to her. Pulling her chin to the side, Sapphire looked the younger girl in the eyes. "It is a part of who you are. To love and to be loved, that is why I chose you dear. Because I know you, and you alone have the capacity in your heart to love someone with every ounce of your being. You Yuuki, no one else," Sapphire kissed Yuuki's forehead. The blond looked up into the eyes of her friend, the one who had always been there. Like a mother for so many years.
"What if it doesn't work out?" Yuuki asked, her voice low and cautious. Sapphire's eyes softened at this question.
"Then I will be here for you, to catch you if you fall. And so will Maia and Rubi. We love you Yuuki. And we want only the best for you," she replied. Yuuki smiled at Sapphire, happy for once that she had someone that would always be there for her.
"Where's Asuma?" Maia asked the woman before her. Tsunade had asked to see her the second she got back and it was bad enough that she'd waited as long as she did. The Hokage averted her gaze from the younger girl. She didn't want to tell her what had happened. Though it was inevitable.
"You should know Maia, he died nobly," Tsunade said quietly. Maia's heart skipped a beat and she halted breathing for a moment. Died nobly? What the hell was that supposed to mean? "It wasn't too long after you left that he went on a mission with his team. He was engaged in a battle with the Akatsuki and he," Tsunade found herself choking on her words. "Died. Protecting his team. He wanted to tell you how proud he was of you. There was a letter half written he'd been working on before he was sent on the mission. He of course didn't know he would die, but he wanted me to give it to you," Tsunade finished, handing Maia a half-finished letter from her dead father. Maia took the letter, not able to feel the skin of her hands. Everything had gone numb at this news. Her father, her only family member. He was gone.
"Why didn't you save him?" Maia exclaimed. Anger ran through her veins, Rubi threatening to come through. "He was my only family!" she cried. Tsunade sighed in defeat, listening to the girl. She knew she'd be upset. Who wouldn't be?
"There is good news Maia," Tsunade said, avoiding the question. The dark haired girl was incredulous. How could there be good news? None of this could possibly even begin to be good! "You have a half-brother Maia," Tsunade explained. That calmed the storm that was running ramped through Maia's mind. A puzzled expression came over her and she didn't know how to react.
"A half-brother?" she asked quietly. Tsunade nodded. Maia couldn't come up with anything else to say.
"He was going to tell you in the letter, but he had to leave so suddenly that he couldn't finish," Maia's mind was running a million miles per hour. She couldn't believe any of this. Her father was dead, she had a half-brother and sooner rather than later she would be facing possibly the greatest evil she'd ever known. Why was all of this happening to her? "Read it Maia. He would want you to. And know this Maia, he loved you. Even only having known you for a short time. Asuma loved you. He cherished you," Tsunade placed both of her hands on Maia's shoulders. "You, and only you, were his daughter. And his son with Kurenai will be your ticket to getting to know him, I hear he's a lot like him," the Hokage said. Maia smiled sadly and nodded, holding back tears.
"I'm gonna go," she said. The Hokage nodded and watched the girl leave. It seemed as though it was only yesterday that Yuuki walked into her office and interrupted the last conversation the two had. Eyes softening, Tsunade realized how hard this must be on the young girl. She was only eighteen and already her entire family had been taken from her and she was given the burden of dealing with The Guild. Yes, the Hokage had done her research while Maia was away. The twins that had come after Maia had been the two top assassins from the Guild. Led by a fiend of a shinobi who had decimated his entire village.
Maia,
It is so nice to hear from you. Reassuring even, to know that you're doing well with your training. I hope that dog boy of yours is treating you right.
Maia giggled at the comment about Kiba. She knew he was just messing around with her. But it was nice to read some of his humor.
I know you'll grow stronger and become the best that you can be, I have no doubt about that. And I want you to know my darling daughter, that I am so proud of you. You did the right thing for yourself and your home. You left to get stronger so that you could protect everyone.
A tear rolled down Maia's cheek as she read this part, feeling Kiba's arm wrap around her shoulder. She definitely needed him here with her right now.
Maia, I want you to know that even though I haven't known you long, I love you more than I've loved anyone in my life. You are my daughter and you have been your entire life. I am so sorry I wasn't there when you were growing up. I want you to know this as well,
And that was where it ended. Where he was called away on a mission that would eventually lead to his death. Maia was allowing the tears to flow by this point. Her father, he had loved her. He had been proud of her. And now, when she was finally back, he wasn't here to see the beautiful ring on her finger that promised marriage for her. Maia threw herself into Kiba's open arms. She hated this. But she couldn't stop. She needed to finish what she'd started for her father. For Asuma Sarutobi.
"I want to change my last name," she said quietly. Kiba kissed the top of her head and nodded his understanding.
"Okay, we'll go to the Hokage soon to do just that. Whatever will make you happy," he replied. Maia looked up at the boy, no, the man that she had fallen so deeply in love with over the years.
"Thank you Kiba, for everything. Thanks you so much," she told him, her voice low. Kiba smiled and didn't reply. Instead he pulled her chin up and kissed her gently. Moving his hand so he was holding her cheek, Kiba deepened the kiss. He wanted her to know that he loved her. That he would do anything to see her happy, even if it meant leaving her. Though, he didn't think she would ever want him to leave. And trust him, he never wanted to leave. Kiba wanted her always in his arms. Maia slowly placed her arms around his neck, allowing herself to get lost in his kiss. She needed this right now. She needed him right now. All of him. Kiba pulled out of the kiss slowly, hesitant to let it end. Looking into her glazed eyes, Kiba saw nothing but love. He rested his forehead on hers and closed his eyes. He truly didn't want this moment to end.
"Marry me," he whispered.
"Neji wait!" Yuuki exclaimed, running up behind him. She needed to let her feelings out. She needed him to know how she felt. She needed to tell him everything. Yuuki needed and wanted to take this chance. She wanted to live her life. And whether she liked it or not, this love, these feelings she held for Neji, they were a part of her life. He turned around and waited for her to reach him, not knowing what this could be about.
"Yes Yuuki-chan?" he asked. Yuuki-chan, she secretly loved when he called her that. Her face flushed and she developed a sheepish look. Finally reaching him, Yuuki felt her stomach quench.
"I," Yuuki couldn't stop the choking feeling from coming to her throat. "I need to tell you something," she said. Neji didn't know how to react to her tone of voice. But he knew she was being serious. Yuuki looked up, fiddling with her thumbs. How would she tell him this? It was impossible for her to see how Neji felt by looking his cold eyes. They never showed a hint of emotion, something she wished would happen. She wanted to know how he felt. Yuuki wanted to know he felt something for her before she put herself out there. All these thoughts swarming in her head made her think twice about telling him. What should she do?
"Tell him," Sapphire whispered in her head. Yuuki sighed and wished she could pull her stare away from Neji, wished she could look anywhere but his beautiful face.
"Neji-kun!" that pulled both of their gazes away from the other. Neji turned to look toward the voice that called out to him. He nodded to the girl running up to them. "When did you get back?" she asked as she reached the two of them.
"Just now actually," Neji glanced to Yuuki and then back to the girl. "This is Yuuki. She's the girl I was assigned to escort while in the Village," Neji explained. The girl gave Yuuki a bright smile and held out her hand. Yuuki refused to take it and instead took a step back. The girl developed a confused look and then came back to reality.
"Well, it was nice to meet you. I'm TenTen," the girl introduced herself and Yuuki nodded quickly. She didn't know what to say now. She didn't want to be rude, but she wanted to tell Neji how she felt. Kind of. That was when her world came crashing down. Yuuki watched at the girl, this irritating girl, took Neji's hand and pulled on it. "Tsunade wants to see you right away Neji-kun. Can't keep her waiting," TenTen gave Yuuki a look and then began dragging Neji off. The Hyuuga stopped her however.
"I'll be there shortly," he told her. TenTen frowned and then nodded. Leaving the two alone. Neji turned back to Yuuki and sighed. "Sorry about her. What were you going to say before?" Neji asked her. Yuuki shook her head and averted her eyes from the Hyuuga.
"Just forget I said anything. I've gotta go," and with that she ran the opposite direction. She needed to get away from him and that girl. That girl be damned. Neji watched as she ran, wanting to go after her. His morals and sense of duty however, got in the way of that. What had she wanted to tell him? And why had she acted the way she did when TenTen came around? It was all a mystery to him, but he couldn't do a thing about it right now. Right now, he needed to meet with the Hokage.
Yuuki was glad that the Hokage had set up an apartment for her. She didn't think she could bear being around Neji all the time.
"I tried Sapphire, what more do you want me to do? That girl is getting in the way and I just," Yuuki was laying in her bed, wishing she could just go into a coma for the rest of her life and not have to deal with any of this. "I can't get hurt, not again," flashbacks of the Kumokage ran through her mind. Running wild were the memories of her past that she'd never wanted to remember. The image of Lady Noriko flashed through her mind as well and she shivered. Yuuki felt as though Sapphire was embracing her and she smiled lightly.
"It is understandable young one," she murmured within the confines of her mind. "Take all the time you need. But know dear one, if you wait too long, you will miss your chance."
Super sorry that this was so long coming, but I hope you liked the first chapter! Please please please review! I love to know what you guys think of these stories! Stay tuned for chapter two!
XOXO, Alaska