I certainly didn't plan for this fic to be so damned long; chapter three would have been enormous had I left it as is, so I split it up into two chapters. Here it is: the final chapter. Enjoy…
"What is Love?
Baby, don't hurt me.
Don't hurt me.
No more..."
What is Love?—Haddaway
--What is Love?--
"The mission was a success and I'll admit I slipped away when the others were returning because I was upset after my fight with Kurenai," Anko said, giving the aforementioned ninja's hand a squeeze. "Getting laid up wasn't part of the plan. I'm all healed up, though, and that's all you need to know."
It had taken almost an hour (time flies when you're having fun) for Kurenai to explain what had happened—becoming ambiguous when she addressed the Sound Four—and the purplette was ready to go home.
Tsunade arched a thin eyebrow, "Hold it, Mitarashi. You aren't getting off of the hook that easily. Where exactly have you two been?"
"Around," she said airily, gesturing vaguely with the hand that wasn't clutching her lover's. "A little village took care of me and my girl while I couldn't. For that I am grateful and won't divulge in their location simply because I don't think they'd want me to."
The Hokage sighed, but didn't press the matter. "Fine. Once you've rested up, I want you to go to Suna as an ambassador. The Kazekage—"
"Send someone else."
Amber eyes blinked. "What?"
"Send. Someone. Else." Anko was grinning now, enjoying the dumfounded look on her superior's face. "I quit."
She stood, pulling an equally shocked Kurenai to her feet.
They were half-way out the door before Tsunade managed, "You can't just quit!"
The purplette didn't even pause.
"I just did."
--x--
"You're awfully quiet."
Kurenai jumped. "Huh?"
"Exactly."
She was smiling though and the crimson-eyed Jounin smiled back. "Just thinking."
They arrived at the apartment building and Anko blinked at the lack of a door.
"Heh… sorry. I was in a hurry to get you."
Fortunately, Kurenai's apartment was still under her name.
During the walk there, the older Jounin was still oddly silent, and Anko frowned.
What could be on her mind? She told me to quit the ANBU, right? You'd think she'd be jumping for joy or something…
She blinked, realizing her lover had already entered her apartment, leaving the door ajar so that she could follow suit.
The lights were off, the air filled with the type of heaviness that collected in the absence of life.
"I'm going to take a shower, Kure," she called, heading for the bedroom. After a month without even touching water, to say she felt grungy would be an understatement—even though she had showered several times before leaving the Sound Four's little village.
"Alright..." Her tone was distracted.
Switching on the lights, the former ANBU muttered, "Guess I won't be needing this anymore…" From her person she drew her mask; ran her fingers over its smooth surface. Kimimaro had given it to her before un-blindfolding Kurenai and herself.
He was a smart kid: knowing the older woman wouldn't like seeing it.
The purplette sighed. "And my arm guards and shit are gone too."
She turned on the water and stripped quickly, humming tunelessly. Then she strode across the bathroom; the mask was set on the dresser in Kurenai's room to be dealt with at a later time.
I can't believe she actually did it.
Kurenai collapsed onto the big olive-green sofa in her living room. Crimson eyes stared up at the ceiling, not really focused on anything.
Ironic. Last time we were at Anko's and I was the one taking a shower. Then… Her mind went through a series of scenes that left her flushed slightly. Who's to say it can't go that way again?
The Jounin rose.
Anko sighed happily, her head tilting back so that the warm cascade of water could slide down her front.
Much better.
It almost felt as though someone was smoothing their hands over her body…
…Wait a minute.
The woman stiffened instinctively, but the gentle chuckle that resulted caused her to relax.
A nubile body that somehow seemed warmer than the water that rained down on both of them pressed against her back and a pair of slim arms wrapped around her waist as a husky voice said, "I can't believe you did that."
Anko swallowed. "Did what?"
"Quit."
"Yeah, well, you wanted me to and I care about you so—"
She broke off in a moan: the arms that were wrapped around the purplette's waist had shifted; one reached for a bar of soap and a washcloth whilst the other slid upward to cup a firm mound of flesh, tweaking a dusky nipple.
"Kure…" Anko sighed, leaning more fully into her lover's embrace. She titled her head to the side, lips parted slightly, and Kurenai leaned in to kiss her, tongue darting past full lips to explore the purplette's heated oral cavern.
By the time they pulled apart, chocolate-toned orbs were smoldering.
She shifted the hair off of Anko's neck and pressed a kiss there. "Let's get you cleaned, shall we?"
Pulling Anko back so that the water didn't hit her as fully, the older woman rubbed the cloth and soap together until a thick lather covered it; dropped the bar and began rubbing in gentle circles over the Jounin's pale flesh.
Anko made a valiant effort to remain still, but every now and then, Kurenai's fingers would "accidentally" caress her bare flesh—her breasts, her stomach, her hip, her thigh—following the path of the soothing, massaging motion of the washcloth.
The result: a constant tensing and relaxing on the younger woman's part.
She pushed her hips back, wanting to feel more of her lover's flesh, but Kurenai chuckled, pushing her in the opposite direction.
"Patience, koi."
The brunette kneeled, nudging the purplette's thighs apart so that she could press a kiss to either one before soaping them up. Anko had to brace herself with a hand on top of Kurenai's head when the kneeling woman washed her feet, giving the red-eyed Jounin the perfect angle for—
Patience. Kurenai reminded herself.
She guided Anko forward so that the spray could rinse her off and, when the woman closed her eyes against the torrent, Kurenai pressed her up against the tiled shower wall.
Her own need smoldered. Screw patience.
The purplette gasped as the contrast between water and tile caused her a shudder to run the length of her slim frame.
Her 'captor' was laughing, a low sound that caused another shudder—this one having nothing to do with temperature—to wrack her.
"Tell me no and I'll stop."
Anko turned her head to the side, fixing a look that was part incredulous, part hungry on the older woman as best she could.
"Yeah, right."
A smile curved full lips and Kurenai reached out to shut off the water as she leaned in to press blazing kisses to the purplette's collarbone.
She braced herself with her arms on either side of the younger woman's waist as she moved south, tongue flicking out to capture droplets of water—the fluid made sweeter by the fact that it was on her lover's skin.
"Ah-moan-Kure…"
Her knees felt like Jell-O and her heartbeat was erratic as Kurenai traced her tongue along the underside of her breast.
An open-mouth kiss to the top of the soft mound resulted in a red-purple mark—a hickey.
"Mine," Kurenai murmured.
Anko didn't miss the fearful, questioning note in her tone and she grinned.
"Yours," she promised.
Was this love? The rookie Jounin had never felt such happiness before—especially not from a single word.
Now, she felt like she was flying.
Sharing her lover's smile, Kurenai returned to the woman's lips, claiming them with her own. At the same time, she ran a slim finger along the younger Jounin's lower lips, finding a dampness there that had nothing to do with her recent shower.
Then, she was crouching again, gently biting Anko's side; lapping at her belly button; raking her fingers down the female's toned bottom.
Gripping a thigh with a corresponding hand, Kurenai blew gently on the tangle of plum coloured hair, eliciting another moan, this one louder than the first, from the purplette.
Anko's fingers entwined with dark-brown locks and pressure was applied, gentle despite the strength she possessed.
She was always so gentle…
"Kurenai." Her breathing was ragged.
Ooh, full name. It was always "Kure-chan" or some other nickname with this one. She was getting desperate.
"Hmm?"
Kurenai was yanked to her feet, the pain not even registering as Anko grunted an apology and crushed their lips together.
When they parted, she growled, "Can we continue this in bed?"
Now it was the brunette's turn to shudder as her lover took her hand and practically dragged her towards the bed.
The sheets were crimson—big surprise—and very soft as Kurenai landed on her back, Anko already nudging her thighs apart and settling there.
The older Jounin couldn't help but arch her back, needing the friction of something solid against her heated core, but Anko pushed her back down, trailing pinpricks of heat with her mouth across the older woman's collarbone. Quick pecks were lavished around the creamy mound of Kurenai's breast before a pink tongue swirled around a dusky nipple and pulled it into heated dampness.
"Mmmm." Anko hummed, nipping gently as her lover cried out.
She didn't stay long; soon, her slim body was slipping down Kurenai's form, stopping when her breasts pressed against a flat stomach.
"Kure?"
Lust-glazed orbs focused as best they could on the purplette. "Hmm?"
"Do you mind if I try something?"
An elegant eyebrow arched at that. "You brought your 'toys' with you?"
Anko flushed. "No! I was just—"
Kurenai laughed gaily, sitting up so that she could press a kiss to Anko's still-damn temple. "Do what you want, Sweetie. I trust you."
To which the younger woman tackled her onto her back and kissed the breath from her lungs.
"I love you, Kurenai."
Did she? Did she really love her? Did Kurenai love her back?
"I..." C'mon, say it!
She smiled slightly. "I understand."
Moving off of the brunette, Anko shifted so that she was facing dainty feet before crawling backwards—slowly in case Kurenai had any objections.
She swore her cheeks were glowing. "Is this ok?"
Faced with the musky smell that was exclusively Anko, Kurenai chose to pull the woman's hips down rather than respond, her tongue delving in without hesitation, eliciting a yelp from her lover.
For all of twenty seconds, Anko could do nothing but writhe, dancing on the tip of Kurenai's skilled tongue.
"Kure!" she gasped as the aforementioned ninja circled her clit. The sensation urged her to lower her own face and latch onto Kurenai's clit as she drove two fingers into her feminine channel.
Now it was the older woman's turn to vocalize her pleasure; she had to pull away from Anko to do so and the purplette would have smirked had her mouth not been otherwise occupied.
She sped up her pace, determined to bring her lover to climax first; Kurenai immediately accepted the unspoken challenge, using the index finger on each hand to part Anko's feminine lips before thrusting her tongue in as far as she could.
Damnit. At this rate, I'll be first...! Kurenai couldn't help but remove her lips again to moan. She could feel the spiral of tension that had formed in her stomach wind tighter and tighter still as Anko's knowing tongue lapped at places within her that made lightning arc along her spine.
An idea hit her, so suddenly that she was shocked she hadn't already thought of it.
Then again, it had been a while since they had had sex.
That and she was kind of occupied…
Using both hands to steady Anko's gyrating hips, Kurenai bit down on the younger woman's clit, just shy of breaking the flesh, and the purplette actually threw back her head and screamed as she her orgasm washed over her with shocking intensity.
She was rewarded by a flood of tangy fluid which she lapped up eagerly. I win; I knew she got off on pain! Part of Kurenai crowed smugly. The other part cried out at the loss of the hot, wet muscle sliding through her folds.
When her muscles finally unclenched, the purplette rolled off of Kurenai and onto her back, her head resting on the older woman's thigh. Every ragged inhale drew the tantalizing scent of the brunette's arousal into her nostrils. After a full thirty seconds of listening to her lover's laboured breathing, Kurenai's eyebrows drew together. "Anko, are you ok? I didn't hurt you, did I—"
Her worry was brought to an abrupt end as two of the younger Jounin flipped—settling between her legs—and slim fingers filled her again. A third was added, then a fourth and Kurenai's spine arched at the feeling of being stretched; of being filled.
When a thumb came up to press into her clit, stars danced before crimson eyes.
When a tongue pressed hotly against her sphincter—a sensation that was new and strange, but not unwelcome—her eyes snapped shut.
When those questing fingers slammed into her G-spot, sensory overload kicked in and the rookie Jounin's world went black.
…
Someone was stroking her hair again.
Kurenai tried to move, but decided her limbs were far too heavy to bother.
"Look who's up," a gentle voice cooed; a kiss was pressed to her forehead.
Prying her eyes open, the older woman realized Anko was spooned up behind her, the warm, cushiony press of her lover's body against her back causing her to whimper.
There was soft laughter. "I think you've had enough, koi. Rest a while."
It took immense will power, but Kurenai flipped over, burying her face in the hollow of Anko's throat. "How long have I been out?"
"A minute or two."—Another kiss, this one to the top of her head—"You alright?"
"Mhmm. Better than 'alright'. That was... wow. Thank you."
"That's good and, you're very welcome. I'd be happy to do it again."
They rested in silence for a while, sleep tugging at Kurenai's eyelids.
She shifted, trying to wake up her brain and Anko hugged her closer. "Don't ever leave me again, ok?"
A gentle squeeze. "I promise."
Those two words held more meaning than any others she could have possibly uttered at that moment and the older Jounin sank into unconsciousness, her mind and heart at ease.
Kurenai awoke with a start.
Sitting up, she realized she was alone; her heart skipped a beat as her mind immediately started supplying worst-case scenarios.
A flash of white caught her eye: the curtains that covered the doors that lead to the balcony were dancing in the gentle breeze.
… Breeze?
The brunette rose, padded over to the doorway and pushed the cloth aside, stepping out into the twilight air; a robe-clad Anko half-turned to look at her.
She shivered—the contrast between the temperature inside and the temperature outside reminding her of her nakedness. "Why are you out here?"
"Just thinking." There was pain in chocolate-toned orbs.
Kurenai's concern must have shown on her face because the younger woman smiled slightly. "Nothing to worry about, Kure, I swear. I just needed a moment alone; I'll come back to bed soon."
The older Jounin nodded and turned to go back inside—
"I love you."
—She smiled warmly, saying, "I love you too" before disappearing.
Anko turned her attention back to Konoha as she leaned forward, bracing herself against the stone railing with her forearms.
All was silent, every window was dark.
So peaceful... I love this place.
She tilted her head, seeing the silhouette of the bed and her lover through the thin lace curtains.
And Kurenai… She makes me feel warm and safe—like I can do anything.
Dark eyes flicked back to the city; the woman's lungs filling with air, then emptying their contents in a sigh.
She grinned crookedly. What more reason do I need to do my best to stick around?
She would miss the thrill that came from the dangerous missions ANBU were given, but some things were more important.
What is love?
A few days ago, her answer would have been vague, incomplete. Now…
Now she had overcome the difficulty she had faced and was more than ready to settle down with the crimson-eyed seductress that had worked her way into her heart so long as she would have her.
Even if that meant giving up her dreams of vengeance.
Even if that meant giving up everything.
This is love.
As Anko turned to head back inside, she released her grip on the ovular porcelain object in her hand.
There was a 'chink!' as the wolf mask fell three stories and shattered into a million shards of white.
--Fin--
-phew- As you might have noticed, I love sappy endings like this one =D I'm actually quite satisfied with this one though still surprised at its popularity o.O Of course, the length is amazing considering my original plan, but hey, that's how things work.
Thanks go to Benevolence who beta'd this and to my dear, dear reviewers. I hope you look forward to whatever idea my Muse deems worthy of seeing the light of day next!
—Distraction