'Fuck this.' Muttered a very tired ninja.
'I hear ya' Breathed her partner. Running for five hours straight turned out harder than first thought. They allowed themselves to fall backwards onto the cushy grass. Runa and Naruto looked at the sky while they caught their breath.
'Remind me... never to boast... again,' Naruto wheezed.
Runa chuckled. 'I don't think anyone could ever stop you from boasting, but I will remind you never to provoke Kakashi sensei again, you can count on that,'
'Yeah, that works too,' They laughed as they thought back to how they had got in this predicament. Naruto just couldn't keep his big mouth shut when Kakashi said he ran for 4 hours once on a mission and Naruto just had to top that by doing five. Runa had been dragged into it when Kakashi spotted her when he said Naruto had to be supervised to make sure he didn't cheat. She was so getting him back for this. But not now. At this moment all she wanted to do was lie here and enjoy the gentle breeze that made the leaves rustle, the sweet birdsong that echoed in their heads, and the angelic look on Naruto's sleeping face. She smiled to herself. She realised that watching someone while they slept was just a little creepy. But who cares? She loved him.
They stayed like that for a precious while (Runa hadn't been staring that whole time that's just weird) until Naruto decided it was time to scare the heck out of her by jolting awake and making a huge half snort half snoring noise. 'Jesus Naruto!' She squeaked. He laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. She couldn't help but laugh with him. It was one of those contagious laughs that you just had to go with. 'Sorry, did I scare you?' He asked.
'What do you think!? Ha-ha, we should go report back to Kakashi, I can't wait to see the look on his face when tell him you won!'
'Sure, let's go,' Naruto jumped up and patted down his clothes. He then held out his hand to Runa. She looked at it like it was some kind of mutant fish or something then shyly held up her own hand and grabbed his. 'Thanks' She mumbled. Why was she so embarrassed? It was just a hand, nothing more.
THUMP. Her eyes went as wide saucers. THUMP. Her vision went blurry and her balance wavered. 'Runa, you OK?' No. No, no, no. Not now.
'Naruto... It's ha... happening again...' THUMP Her abdomen was a fire pit of pain. Just where the seal for the kyuubi was. 'Shit,' was all Naruto said before throwing her over his shoulder. She screamed and screamed at every bump and knock on the way to Yamato's place, each one followed by a 'I'm so sorry' or 'Just hang on'. And she would. For Naruto. For him
There was no time to knock so Naruto simply rammed through Yamato's kitchen wall. Runa screamed again. Yamato was obviously not expecting a visit from the village jinjuriki and her minder. Partly because of the fact he was in pyjamas, and also because he was just about to start eating a Mars Bar. 'Whaa?' Was all he could muster with the end of a chocolate bar stuck in his mouth. Then he saw the state Runa was in. Sweat was dripping down her pale skin, her fists were clenched so tight, her nails were creating little bloody half-moons in her hands and that beautiful golden hair of hers that matched Naruto's so perfectly was starting to singe at the tips.
Yamato finally grasped the urgency of the situation and switched to leader mode. 'Remove her shirt so I can get to the seal then lie her on the floor,' Naruto acted without hesitation. He lifted her from his shoulder, being as delicate as he could but she still cried out. 'You'll be OK' Naruto reassured her. She forced a weak smile and said: 'course!' But her voice was broken and her eyes were wild. Yamato had left the room to get his sealing jutsu equipment and was now lying them next to Runa. Without her shirt on, Runa felt exposed and violated which only added to the stress that stretched her mind like elastic. This had to be over soon. She couldn't take much more of the fire in her soul. No more. No more...