Chapter 6: Blood Brothers
The short little redhead tagged along a few steps behind the group. She walked slowly but steadily, her bare feet padding along the dirt road silently. Tori almost always walked barefoot. That was one of the strange things about her Lee had noticed since she arrived earlier today, like she never walked in front of anyone, and would occasionally burst into fits of loud, boisterous, unrestrained laughter for no reason what so ever. He turned around to get a better look at her. She was gruff and rugged looking, but somewhat attractive. Large, kind eyes studied her. She was squarely built, with slight curves, and shaggy shoulder-length hair. She looked up over the rims of her glasses, flashing her feral, penetrating eyes at me, smiling coldly, the corner of her mouth twitching into a smirk.
"Oi, what ya lookin' at, Sexy?"
He looked at her, both surprised at what she had called him, and the informal tone she had spoken to him in.
"What?" Lee said nervously, feeling like the young woman had said something seriously embarrassing.
She bowed sarcastically, "Oh, please forgive my rough tongue, Green Prince, I was just wondering what you were looking at me for," she said waving her hand with mock formality.
"Onee-chan," Emi said, giving her a look and punching her in the arm playfully, "try to be nice!"
"Aww, you're no fun," the red-head complained with a stubborn pout. "Eh, well what's this?" she said sniffing the air.
"Ah! Your friends are right up the path."
"Woah! She has as good a nose as Kiba," Naruto called in surprise.
"Kiba… That is one of the team members we are going to visit—" she said as she was promptly tackled by a huge white puppy. She fell backwards, laughing happily, tumbling over the playful dog. She got on all fours and play growled and nibbled Akamaru's ear. Emi laughed as she watched the mass of fur and red hair rolling around on the ground like a miniature hurricane. Lee couldn't help but realize how beautiful she was, not to mention how similar she looked to Akamaru, as strange as it sounded. She smiled happily as she growled at the dog. That was when he noticed how sharp her teeth looked. He wasn't sure how to react to this change, but she didn't seem to be alarmed by it. She looked up at him, looking a little bit hurt and confused. Lee must have looked frightened by her appearance. She reached up to see what he had been staring at, and pressed on the edge of one of her fang-like teeth, leaving a thin trail of blood on her thumb.
"Ah, I-I am sorry," she said licking the blood off the cut and covering her mouth. Emi patted her on the shoulder.
"Nee-chan, there isn't any reason for you to be ashamed of yourself," she said kindly, gently taking Tori's hand from her mouth.
Naruto cocked his head. "What just happened?" he asked looking confused. The little red-head picked herself up and dusted off her tattered jeans.
"Let's just say… I haven't quite got the hang of my jutsu," she said with a look on her face that expressed her humiliation and anger.
'I wonder why she feels so anxious about her jutsu...' he thought. Trying to console her, Lee put his hand on her shoulder. As soon as he did, she pulled away, putting up an invisible barrier between the two. Lee wasn't trying to do anything but comfort her, but from the way she drew into herself protectively told him that she assumed that I was not trying to make her feel more at ease.
"Um... let's go meet Kiba, Hinata, and Shino, Tori-san," Naruto suggested, attempting to break the awkward silence around them.
"'Kay," Tori said nodding quietly, with the big white dog trailing behind her.
Seeing as it was getting dark, the four friends walked towards Lee's modest apartment. As they finally made it to the front door, Tori grace Emi a friendly hug.
"Good night Emi, Naru-kun."
"G'night Tori chan, Lee-kun," the blonde kunoichi chimed as she and Naruto made their way across the street to their own apartment. Emi saw the look in Tori's eyes before she turned away. It was like the usually happy, easy-going girl was waiting in line for a seat in an electric-chair. "It's okay; he's a very nice guy," Emi mouthed silently, giving her a comforting look.
"I know," she said back, looking down at her feet with a tiny crooked smile. She clearly knew a secret. Emi wondered what the little redhead could possibly know about Lee that she didn't know herself, but she decided to leave it alone.
"Go on, go catch up with Naru-kun," she said waving her on. The two blondes walked across the street, and Emi flashed Tori a smile before following Naruto inside and closing the door. Lee turned away from the door to see Tori standing there, staring at the single, neatly made bed. The two looked at each other, turning shades of red.
"…Well… This is awkward," Tori said trying to add some humor to the uncomfortable thought.
"Um, do not worry about it. I can take the floor," Lee offered chivalrously.
"Oh, no you're not! Haven't you heard, Bushy Brows, chivalry is dead, more dead than a two week old carcass rotting in the sun!"
Lee looked highly offended.
"Look, never mind, I'll take the floor. Don't start with me. It's been a long day, and I have no patience for stupid antics," she growled poking him in the chest.
Lee looked down, almost ashamed. Why did this girl have such a silencing effect on him? Usually he was very outspoken, not unlike a certain orange-dressed comrade of his.
"Here," she said tugging the blankets off the bed. "How's this?" she yanked the covers and sheets off and spread them out on the floor.
"I still feel you should take the bed, but this is a suitable compromise."
"Thanks, but just pretend I'm not here. Go on with life as you would without me. I feel bad enough that you are stuck with me, dude."
"Oh it's nothing! You seem really... umm... nice!"
She laughed. "You're awful at lying!"
