Disclaimor: Sadly, I do not own Naruto. But I do own Ren. heh heh ^ ^
Ren stirred, her memories faint.
Warm lips pressed against hers, forcing air in between them. Warm, hard, calloused hands pressed onto her chest, pushing. One. Two. Three times.
Water spilled from her lips, which were now returning to their normal color.
Who was this savior? The one with the blonde hair?
She shivered with cold, her shirt removed to reveal the soaked bandages, still cold with icy water.
Her freezing leather pants were removed, replaced with something warm and soft.
What was it?
Minutes later, a warm body pressed against hers, and she pushed herself against the warm figure, loving the warmth. A purr escaped her lips, the heat seeping into her frozen body.
The fuzzy world grew black.
The fuzzy details grew no clearer as Ren thought over the information.
She felt behind her head, and bandaged clad back, a hard, smooth chest, emanating heat.
Who the heck? She thought, not wanting to finish the thought.
Steely hard arms wrapped around her thin waist, holding her to the holder. A face was pressed into the crook of her neck, breathing warm air onto it.
Tips of blond hair were all she could see.
Panic rose and she squirmed, wanting to be freed.
"Let go of me!" she cried out, struggling to release herself.
"Ugggmmmm……. Ren-chan?" a quiet voice moaned with sleep, the blond head lifting itself.
Ren froze.
"N-Naruto-kun?" she whispered, eyes wide with recognition.
Hearing his name spoken like that, Naruto realized what position he was in, and immediately let go of her, trying to scramble off the bed.
Too late.
Ren jumped, shoving him off the bed, and following after him. Straddling his legs so that he could not move, the blanket was wrapped around her own. Her hands shot out, encircling his throat.
Lifting one hand away, she formed and ice kunai, raising it above her head and his.
"What did you do?!" she asked fearfully, eyes wide with alarm, panic, and fright.
Blushing furiously, Naruto looked at her, trying to raise his hands in a gesture, but she jerked the kunai at him threateningly.
"I didn't do anything! We didn't do anything! I swear it!" he cried out, his clear blue eyes not lying.
Tears glistened in her eyes, and she trembled all over.
"I trusted you Naruto. Why?! Why did you do this?! Why?!!!!" she asked, the tears streaming down her face now.
Her hand shook so much; she dropped the kunai, letting it clatter to the floor.
Taking the chance, Naruto slowly lifted his head, taking her hand that was wrapped around his throat by the wrist. He did the same with the other.
As she cried, he had a grim look on his face.
Picking Ren up, Naruto sat her on the bed, looking down at the stressed out girl.
"Shhhh, Ren-chan. Its ok. I didn't do anything. You nearly drowned. I took you to my apartment after saving you. All I did was follow old instructions from the academy." He said, raising his hands in surrender, releasing her wrists in the process.
"D-Does th-that inc-clude taking-g m-my cl-clothes o-o-off?" she sobbed, rubbing at her eyes with her fists.
Naruto sighed, kneeling in front of her as she sat on the bed.
"Yes, it does. When we studied hyperthermia, I barely paid attention…… until Sakura-chan beat me into remembering…" he said softly, giving her a crooked smile.
"You're halter top was beginning to freeze, as was your pants. If you notice, your bandages are still on as is your…… ummm…." He blushed brightly.
"U-Underwear?" she supplied, cracking a wry smile.
Blushing harder, he nodded. "Yeah."
Sighing, Ren leaned back, flinching slightly as her leg burned.
"Hunh? What's wrong with my leg?" she asked, confused, only a few traces of her earlier crying.
Naruto jumped up quickly, pulling at the blankets still wrapped around her waist.
She jerked away at his touch, and he blushed again.
"Uhhhhh, Gomen. I was just trying to show you what happened to your leg." He supplied, rubbing the back of his head.
Raising a brow at him, she closed her eyes, sighing again.
"Ok then….." she said slowly, briefly hesitating. She reached down to her feet, pulling back the sheets, revealing her long, pale, slender legs.
One was bandaged…… quite clumsily, and the other was smooth and nice as ever.
Glancing up at Naruto, her brow raised higher.
"You did this?" she asked.
He closed his eyes, rubbing the back of his head again.
"Yes. I mean no. I mean, yes I bandaged your leg. No I didn't hurt it." He said, looking sheepish.
Ren smirked, leaning back farther until her head touched the wall.
Shaking her head, she closed her eyes, smiling.
"Naruto, Naruto, Naruto……." She rebuked. "When will you ever learn how to bandage something correctly? One day, I'm going to teach you….." she said softly, opening her grey eyes to meet his crystal blue ones.
"Sakura-chan's already tried…… I don't think it works….." he said, just as softly back, caught in the deepness of her gaze.
Ren broke it first, unable to stand the intensity of his stare.
I can usually stare him down…. But as I look into his eyes, I sink into his mind, and I don't want to go there……. She thought, feeling tired and drained.
Sighing, she reached down, pulling at the bandages.
"Whoa! Wait, Ren-chan! What are you doing?!" a startled Naruto asked.
"I'm going to see the extent of the wound, Naruto-kun. It's still open…." She murmured, tugging at the confusing knots.
Blushing, Naruto brushed aside her hands gently. "I'll do it." He muttered, avoiding her eyes.
Shrugging, Ren stuck her leg out towards him, giving him better access.
The boy blushed tremendously, closing his eyes as he undid the wrappings with his fingers.
"Ahh…. Its stuck……" he said, bemused.
Ren opened her eyes, having already closed them and leaning back. "Nani?" she asked, furrowing her brow.
"Its… uhh….. stuck…. I can't undo it…." He repeated, pouting.
Stifling a giggle, at his childish behavior, Ren leaned down, peering at it.
She practically sweat dropped.
"Naruto….." she began, not using the suffix. "How the hell did you do this?" she asked, her bangs covering her eyes.
Afraid for his life, Nartuo began to back away, stumbling over various articles of clothing.
"R-Ren-chan…. I don't know how… I… I just, you know…." He trailed off, unable to come up with a sufficient answer.
"Tried to fix it and only made it worse?" she said darkly, hiding the hysterical laugh.
Unable to contain the snickers and chuckles, she bust out laughing at his reaction, throwing herself back onto the bed fully and kicking her legs up in the air.
"AHH! AHAHAHAHA!!!! AH-Ha-ha-ha-ah-ha!!!!!!!!! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!" she continued this, practically rolling on the bed.
Naruto just stood there, staring at her, his brow twitching,
"Uhh… Ren-chan?" he said hoarsely, raising a hand, one finger up.
"Yes……ha-ha-ha-ha…… Naruto…… ha-ha-ha-ha-ha…. –kun?" she gasped, unable to stop the laughing.
"You still don't have your pants on."
She froze then, glancing down to see the sheets tangled around her feet and calves.
Blushing profusely, she grabbed for the sheets, bringing them back around her waist, covering everything.
She looked up, staring at Naruto. The said boy stood there, head tilted back, pinching his nose.
Ren narrowed her eyes, glaring at him.
"You better not have a nosebleed, Naruto." She warned, beginning to stand.
She yelped, falling forward as she put her weight on the injured leg. Crashing into Naruto, he was forced to release his nose, and catch her, bearing all her mass.
Straightening her, Ren didn't look up at him, but placed her hands on his chest to steady herself.
"Arigato Gazimas…." She murmured, going to turn back around.
Ren placed her foot down on the ground, which happened to have a sheet on it. Slipping on the sheet, she fell against Naruto again, forcefully knocking them both over.
Landing on him, she looked down, caught in his eyes, just like before.
"N-Naruto-kun?" she whispered, stuttering slightly at their closeness.
Their noses were a little more than an inch apart, eyes wide with astonishment. The two could feel each other's breaths on the other's lips.
"Ren…" he said softly, his eyes darting to her lips and back to her grey orbs.
The girl's breathing became ragged, as did his. She made short little gasping sounds, trying to get air into her lungs.
Ren's hands lay on his chest again, and they smoothed their way up to his shoulders, getting a better grip so that she could push herself up without hurting him too bad.
Seeing what she was going to do out of embarrassment, he grabbed for her wrists, twisting both of their bodies to where he was suddenly leaning over her. He raised Ren's hands over her head, pinned by one of his.
He stared at her, eyes mixed with a confused emotion, wonder, and curiosity.
One arm propped him up above her, hand splayed wide beside her head, barely touching her silky black hair.
"N-Naru-" she started to stutter, being cut off by his "Shh."
"Gomen na sai…. I Just… It was… had to…. Impulse?" he managed to squeeze out with what little air he had in his lungs.
Ren trembled beneath Naruto, her eyes filled with the same emotion as he had.
"Impulse?" she repeated, blinking.
He nodded, letting out a held in breath. The smooth, warm air brushed over her lips, making them ache.
She breathed in the scent, closing her eyes and sighing as she let the air out. Her lips felt dry and cracked, and unconsciously, her tongue darted out to swipe over it, moistening the parted, pink lips.
Naruto's eyes followed the motion.
"Gomen….. Gomen na sai…." He whispered, leaning down slowly, his head closer to hers.
His lips brushed hers hestitantly, whispering against them, as if asking for permission.
Ren let out a small sound, almost like a pleading whimper, wishing he would kiss her again.
Naruto captured her mouth with his, kissing her clumsily, not having any experience.
"Naruto…..-kun…." She whispered against his smooth mouth, tugging for her arms to be freed.
Complying, he released them, letting her arms wrap around his neck from instinct. His own hands, in return, went for her waist, holding on tightly.
They kissed again, more confident this time. After a few moments of holding still, just learning the feel of each other's lips, Ren opened her eyes.
She watched his concentrating face. Naruto's eyes were still closed, but his brow was furrowed. The only thing not hindered by this look was his lips, laying immobile over hers.
She reached a hand up, cupping his cheek in her hand. He opened his eyes, staring at her.
"Did I do something wrong?" she whispered, her lips trembling against his.
Naruto looked surprised, since his eyes opened further.
"No! You did fine!" he argued, blushing deeply. He tried to look away, turning his head.
She caught his face with both her hands now, forcing him to look at her.
"What's wrong then?" she asked softly, her eyes searching his.
He paused, unsure if he should tell her.
"Naruto." She repeated, dropping the suffix, beginning to feel worried.
"Kyuubi." He answered simply, quickly.
"Kyuubi-san?" she echoed, confused.
"Yeah… that stupid damn fox!" he muttered angrily, his grip on her waist tightening to the point of pain.
She let out a small sound of pain and distress, completely unlike her.
He looked down, releasing her waist immediately.
"Oh Kami! Gomen na sai, Ren! I just…. Its just that…." He couldn't find words to explain.
Ren forced a smile stiffly, already feeling the bruises that were forming in finger-like marks across her waist. She took her hands and picked his up, replacing them on her waist again. But she changed her mind at the last second and brought one up to her face, smoothing it along her cheek.
"It's ok, Naruto-kun… Now tell me… What about Kyuubi-san?" she asked softly, still rubbing her cheek against his hand.
Naruto paused, staring at her. Watching her. There was something that tugged at the strigns of his heart watching her look so innocent, her face to his hand. Skin to skin.
He frowned again, hearing Kyuubi's calls within his mind. Kyuubi's demands.
Ren frowned as well, the forced smile leaving her pale face. She lifted a finger, smoothing a finger over the frown lines on his for head.
"Please?" she whispered, staring into his chrystal blue eyes with her smoky grey ones.
Naruto sighed, closing his eyes, his head drooping till his for head touched hers. He opened his blue orbs ans stared directly into hers, just staring.
"Kyuubi….. Well… Since he's a fox… and an animal… He… well.. ummm….." Naruto blushed, embarrased to say the facts.
Ren blinked, not removing her for head from his.
"An animal has its needs? Instincts? What?" she asked.
"Needs!" Naruto said almost immediately, startling her slightly.
"Ehh…. Sorry… I mean… When we….." he trailed off again, blushing.
"Kissed." Ren supplied, smiling.
"Yeah… that…. Well, Kyuubi has accepted you and thinks of you as… my umm….." he trailed off.
Ren had no words to fill in.
"My mate." He said simpy, his face tomato red.
The girl paused, blinking a few times.
"……Mate?" she asked unbelievingly.
"Yes. My mate." The boy said, his fingers tightening on her waist again unneringly.
Wincing slightly, Ren frowned, her for head wrinkling against his.
She felt dizzy. Warm. Confined almost. But she felt too tired to move.
"So what does that have to do with anything." She said, finding it hard to breathe.
"Well…." Naruto started, trailing off to frown as well.
"Ren… Your for head's burning up. Are you sure you're not getting a fever?" he asked, concerned.
"I'm fine…. It's just a fever. Now tell me what Kyuubi thinking I'm your mate has to do with things?" she asked, her breathing labored.
Naruto shook his head, lifting her up as he stood, cradling her in his arms. He laid her on the bed, covering her with the blanket.
"Nuh-uhn. I'm not telling you anything until you get better." He said childishly, reminding her of the normal Naruto.
She frowned, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
"That's…. not… fair… Naruto…." She complained between short gasps of air.
He smiled, rubbing the back of his head.
"Yeah, well… too bad. Now go to sleep, and I'll make you some Ramen when you get up." He said, his eyes still closed.
Ren shook her head.
"No… Naruto…. I think it…. Might be…. My leg…" she said, lifting said injured limb.
The boy opened his eyes this time, frowning as well.
"What about it?" he asked.
"I think… it might be… infected…." She said tiredly, trying to sit up to pull on the wrappings again since the two had been distracted before, the cloth was still knotted.
Naruto brushed her hands aside, pushing her back down.
"I got it." He said, leaning down to tear at the bandages, bringing out a kunai and slicing them open so he could look at the wound.
It was an angry looking red, slightly swollen.
"How bad is it, Naruto?" Ren asked, still lying down, feeling dizzy.
The boy paused, pursing his lips for a moment.
"Well… It's a good thing you're a doctor… 'Cause I'm not going to be able to fix it…." He said, trying to lighten the dark mood.
--
~*~^Ren Mizuki^~*~
Ok.... Well..... I know it took me awhile to post another chapter..... and that a lot of you still prefer to read other fanfics...... But this is getting good to me sooo........
Yeah, well... If you're reading this, I hope you enjoyed this chapter... I hope to do another soon.....
DOMO ARIGATO!!!!!!!
