A Tale of Love and Loss

Maito Gai/Original Character

Disclaimer: The fandom is Naruto and it of course does not belong to me along with many of the characters portrayed. I will do my best to remain true to the characters.

Chapter: A Choice is Made

The next evening was spent under the poking and prodding of her nearest aunt who was convinced she would be able to make her look like a princess despite her uniform. In the end Moriko brushed a majority of the make-up off, taken up her full shinobi uniform, and replaced the sword her aunt said would make her appear indelicate. She didn't even need to tell Raidou what time the festival was. He knew of course and appeared at her doorstep exactly in time, his outfit almost entirely the same as every day, though it did appear he was wearing a cleaned and pressed set.

"Raidou-san," she smiled upon seeing him. He stepped forward, holding a small blood-red rose in his hand. He brushed her long hair aside. It was completely down for once, straight and simple, despite her aunts most valiant attempts to curl it. He tucked it behind her ear and tucked the rose in with it. She blushed, "Thank you."

"It is nothing," he shrugged. "They are your favorites after all." She didn't correct him. Her favorite flower was a white lotus. He probably thought that they were tainted by now as she left a white lotus on the body of her victims, a statement that said clearly that it had been a Konoha kill, a kill by the Red Lotus as she was becoming more and more well known.

They walked towards the clan leader's home. The festival was to take place at the Uchiha park just beyond. As they arrived, she began to notice a theme one not unfamiliar to her and it was not kunoichi in uniform. Nearly every male was dressed in attire very much alike her her own, though most wore looser shirts and pants. They were not taijutsu users for the most part after all. Uchiha were known for their genius genjutsu.

"Minato-sensei!" Raidou greeted, surprised that the first person they should encounter would be a shinobi who had been on mission last he'd heard. Rin was with him as well, Kakashi following behind her. "What is an important village jounin doing at a festival?" he asked.

"Being important of course," Minato said with a wink and a charming smile. He was a very handsome important village jounin, especially when decked out in his impressive Sage Robes.

"There are a lot of jounin here actually, more than I had thought were still in the village," Raidou began to realize, looking around.

Minato's lip twitched upwards. "We get an invitation every year to come to this. I've never been able to actually attend. A bit well-to-do isn't it?" Minato observed, looking over the number of kimono-wearing women, very attractive women who were quickly drawn to the village jounin.

Moriko masked her smile, by sipping her sake. There was a reason eligible male shinobi were invited to these sorts of things. With the mortality rate so high in a shinobi village, it was necessary to look outside the clan if and only if one could not find a proper Uchiha male. Only high level, powerful shinobi were invited though and only the unattached civilian Uchiha were available for their courting. It was about improving the gene pool or strengthening connections. Village kunoichi did not have the luxury of being quite as selective as the civilian women. They were expected to look into the clan if they made it near chuunin. An exception would be made of course in cases such as the great Namikaze Minato but Moriko knew very well that nothing would ever draw his attention away from the beautiful red-haired kunoichi he followed after so diligently.

"Truly the main reason I came was to ask how you were doing," Minato admitted to Moriko, glancing down at her midsection. Though her jacket was zipped up as high as it would go and she was back in full uniform which kept her legs fully covered, she still felt as if everyone could see her wounds.

"I am well, Minato-sensei. You know you don't have to keep checking up on me, don't you?" she asked.

"He does actually, swore to Kouichi-sensei to keep an eye on you," Raidou informed her. She rolled her eyes in irritation at him. Did he really have to know absolutely everything that went on in this village?

"Really sensei?" Rin asked, her beautiful eyes wide with curiosity.

"It is a shinobi's job to monitor his or her comrades, Rin. You know that. As a fellow Jounin Captain it is my duty and even Moriko-san sometimes needs someone looking out for her, though I know she is not lacking in that department," he added, looking pointedly at Raidou. Rin smiled, walking forward as Minato was drawn away as he met Uchiha Fugaku's gaze. She bowed to Moriko with a smile, moving to stand next to her and look around.

"You look very pretty Moriko," Rin said. She was dressed in her shinobi garb as well, though her top was a bit fancier with a stitching of sakura blossoms across the fabric.

"Thank you," Moriko said. "I have many aunts with many ideas as to how I should look. I had to pry my sword from the fingers of a 60-year-old woman to be able to carry it." Rin laughed, but her humor gave way to somberness after a few moments

"Last time I was at one of these was with Obito," she said softly, looking around sadly. Moriko nodded, a frown on her face.

"I remember. He bribed you correct?" she asked. Rin laughed and nodded.

"He took my share of all the D rank missions for a week," she said. Kakashi stood silently next to Rin, meeting the nasty glares from the surrounding Uchiha with a careless, blank stare from his one coal grey eye.

"We're going to go get something to drink. Would you like anything?" Rin asked. Both Raidou and Moriko declined and Kakashi and Rin left on their own.

"Do you often have such conversations with Minato-sensei?" Raidou asked.

"More often than I realized actually," she said, finding him again in the crowd, watching as the sensei took up a conversation with the clan leader across the way.

"You should be honored," he told her. She nodded in agreement. "Apparently Kouichi-sensei really cares about you, to ask such an important shinobi to look after you in his absence."

"I guess you're right," Moriko said softly. Her sensei was very dear to her and she hated how often he was gone. One would think she would grow accustomed to it after all these years, but for some reason it had really bothered her more the last couple years than it had when she'd been a genin.

"Uchiha Moriko!" came a loud voice. They both turned to see Kaminaga Kin walking quickly towards them, a broad grin on her face. Moriko barely had time to gain her bearings before Kin plowed into her in a fierce embrace. "I have not seen you for months my friend!" Kin exclaimed.

"Kin-san!" she said, disguising the pain in her voice well.

"I'll leave you two to it. Ryuu-san," Raidou said, greeting the other shinobi. Ryuu kissed Kin on the cheek when she finally released Moriko before he followed Raidou towards the sake.

"You are well?" she asked, her bright blue eyes glittering happily. Moriko nodded.

"I got to pay it forward my last mission, Moriko-san. I pulled Ibiki out of the clutches of a Kumo interrogator just like you did me once," she told her in an excited, but quiet tone. Such missions were the highest of top secret, jounin material only.

"I had not known he'd been taken," Moriko murmured, troubled.

"Ah, but he is holding up. He's in the hospital under Nara Katsuko. She's a medical prodigy," Kin said, obviously trying to be helpful, but the name immediately made Moriko uncomfortable. "We could go see him tonight, if you'd like."

"I would like that," Moriko nodded, almost surprised to be able to say that completely and utterly in earnest. She hadn't seen Kin in a long time. The woman was almost five years her senior, but she was similar in temperament and was enjoyable company.

"Would you look at them?" Kin murmured, her blue eyes tracking across the crowd. "A bunch of egotistical morons." Moriko snorted. "Well, they are you know, especially the females… no offense," she added with a teasing glance to Moriko.

"Still running into trouble with the clan females?"

"When they stop trying to sway Ryuu to black eyes and pale faces every time I turn my back, we will no longer have trouble," Kin said. "You're lucky, Moriko."

"How so?"

"Stealing a male from the Uchiha is difficult, but seeking them elsewhere is much cleaner," Kin pointedly looked towards Raidou, though her eyes were quickly drawn to Ryuu.

"That's not… I mean Raidou-san isn't…" Moriko stumbled over her words, her face reddening. "Raidou-san is my teammate," she stated flatly.

"That's what I thought about Ryuu-san. They grow on you though… teammates," Kin said with a smirk. Moriko was silent a moment, her mind wandering to a different teammate before she looked over to Raidou who was making what appeared to be a calm, competent conversation with her cousin. Was this it? Was he what she wanted: a normal, steady shinobi? The thought saddened her almost. She wanted excitement, unpredictable predictability.

"Perhaps not Miss in-another-world," Kin teased. Moriko looked to her, focusing sharply. "Where'd you go off to?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," Moriko lied, pushing away those thoughts. She frowned when she saw Shisui across the fountain. He was staring at them, more specifically at her.

"Ugh, what's his problem? Are all Uchiha the same? They brood and they brood, staring at you from dark corners," Kin shook her head. Shisui met Moriko's eyes and she caught her breath, averting her eyes from the handsome young Uchiha quickly.

"You know Shisui?" Kin asked, watching her face closely as it reddened.

"I know everyone here. The festival is put on by my family," Moriko said evasively.

"You know Shisui more than that," Kin told her flatly.

"I believe he is the one who they will have me marry," Moriko said very slowly. Kin looked Shisui's direction, then at Moriko, then back to Shisui once more.

"Together you would make strong shinobi," Kin said with a frown. "Do you care for him?"

"He is selfish and arrogant," she replied.

"That does not answer the question," Kin said.

"I do not feel comfortable speaking about this in the present company," Moriko said with a meaningful look over Kin's shoulder. Kin turned slightly, waiting a few moments before glancing discreetly in the direction she had indicated. A chuunin-level shinobi was paying rather close attention to them, though he seemed to think he hid it well.

"So let us leave here," Kin suggested.

"I have been instructed to attend. I cannot leave until I have been here the proper amount of-" she stopped, wincing and closing her eyes tightly. She raised her hand to her right side, taking a small step back a sharp pain shot through her. She attempted to recover quickly, but the pain was unrelenting. Raidou was next to her in a few moments, leading her to a table to be seated. He placed his hand to her side, performing a simple healing jutsu.

"The poison?" he asked.

"Apparently Matsu didn't get it all as he'd thought," she said.

"I will have words with him later," he said, darkly.

"He's not even a medic technically Raidou," she told him.

"He should not perform the jutsu if he isn't going to perform it correctly," Raidou muttered.

"It's an impressive jutsu to even attempt," Kin said, sitting next to the black-haired teenager. "How old is the wound?"

"About a week now," Raidou told her. Kin turned so none could see her hands except Raidou and Moriko. Some shinobi were sensitive about Uchiha picking up their every last trick. She performed a few hand symbols, closing her eyes and drawing a deep breath. Moriko shouted in pain.

"He also missed this," Kin said. She lifted Moriko's shirt, peeling the bandage aside a bit. She closed her eyes and after a few painful moments for Moriko, she took hold of a small piece of metal. It looked like a soldier pill.

"Time release capsule, Suna's style," she said, narrowing her eyes at the small pill and releasing it. It remained suspended in the air and after a moment it collapsed in on itself, a sticky purple liquid dripping from it, falling to the ground.

"Maximum suffering despite lack of lethality," Kin said, staring at the tangled mass of metal, now no bigger than a grain of rice. She let it fall to the ground, kicking dirt over it.

"You should start feeling better in a few hours," Kin told her.

"Thank you senpai," Moriko said.

"Now, let me see if I can't find where Ryuu snuck off to," Kin said. Moriko nodded, watching her leave.

"Many words," Raidou said, thinking of the chewing-out he was planning on giving Matsu later on. Moriko didn't try to talk him out of it again. Once Raidou had his mind set on something, it happened. It was no use arguing because they both know she wouldn't order him not to do it. She didn't micromanage her team leaders. She'd learned that from Kouichi who pretty much gave her free reign with Gai and Katsuko once she became a chuunin.

Moriko closed her eyes, drawing a deep breath. Peace was a rare thing in the middle of this war. How Uchiha managed to put on these festivals in the chaos was beyond her, but the sense of safety it brought… that they could do this… it was warming. That they could relax and enjoy a few hours of their day. She and Raidou sipped sake, speaking with each other for hours, their conversation going on throughout the night with a few interruptions for the numerous clan members who came to speak with them. There weren't many because even now Moriko was shunned though it was less for her lowly position and her sex now. It was because she was successful, because she was wrong to be as good as the others, as strong and as fast as them.

It didn't take long for their conversations to take them to strategies and tactics. It hardly ever did. They discussed the situation on the line between the River Country and the Wind Country. Their last assignment on the front had been hell and everyone knew that that border was becoming too hot too fast. They had to do something and though the top village Special Jounin were working on it the line jounin and the Special Chuunin... they were all feeling the pressure that the lack of a solid successful strategy was putting upon them. They were breaking out there, Moriko knew it, Raidou knew it, and the troops trying to hold the ground out there knew it.

Moriko had held her breath the entire time their clan leader addressed the assembled Uchiha and their comrades, but not one word had been spoken about her or to her. She and Raidou left the gardens in one piece, though their topic had significantly soured their moods. They agreed on a walk around the village perimeters. It never hurt to provide extra security and it allowed a bit of privacy as well. Twenty meters from the village wall they walked, shadowed from the moon by trees. They were silent for a long while even their steps hardly leaving a sound to be noticed.

Moriko felt a slight movement of chakra from under her right arm. She lifted it with a sigh. "Ren-chan," she said, pulling to a halt. Raidou turned to wait for her, eyes dropping to the tiny tortoise as it crawled into view with a sheepish look. Moriko held her out in her palm. "Go back to Gai-kun. Tell him thank you for the concern, but I do not need his protection all the time," Moriko said.

"He is only training Mori-chan," she said.

"Ask Gai why he would not attempt this upon his eternal rival Kakashi-san. Does he feel his ability too inadequate to best the great Kakashi?" she said, knowing exactly the words to get Gai going.

"I do not wish to tell him that," Ren admitted her tiny voice hesitant, knowing that she'd be working four times as hard to satisfy Gai's need to remedy such a situation.

"And yet as my friend, that is exactly what you shall do," Moriko told her.

"Hai Mori-chan," Ren said regrettably before disappearing in a tiny puff of smoke.

"Are you trying to wake up the entire village?" Raidou asked. She looked up smiling slightly at his teasing grin, but there was a sadness in her eyes. "Gai misses a lot," he added, taking in the tired lines of her face. "Like how beautiful you have become." Her face flamed red and she lowered it, turning it slightly away from him and starting to walk. Raidou continued along beside her. "And how you would do anything or give anything for him," Raidou added. She swallowed hard.

"I would give my last breath for any member of my team," Moriko said, her voice slightly hoarse.

"Yet there is only one of us who you would actually live for," Raidou whispered. She pretended not to hear him, though the words struck her deeply. She raised her hand to cover the green necklace hanging around her throat. Upon the end was a small wooden lotus flower, about half the size of her palm, perfectly carved with a small kanji painted inside: "Eternal". She drew a deep, calming breath, trying not to show how affected she was by his statement. She felt a hand on her arm, Raidou pulling her to a halt. She kept her head bowed until Raidou took it upon himself to take hold of her chin raising it with a frown.

"Your clan will figure it out Moriko, and when they do he will be in danger. The Uchiha are not above assassinations within their own village. You were born into a selfish, cruel, and exacting clan. I do not feel any remorse in saying that because it is the absolute truth," he followed his statement with quickly before she could object.

"Why are you saying this," she demanded, pulling her face from his grasp sharply and taking a few steps back, turning away to look out into the darkness of the forest surrounding Konohagakure.

"Because I need to know that my captain, that my friend understands what might happen to her most important person should she-"

"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING RAIDOU!" she shouted, turning on him, her red eyes blazing as she looked upon on her subordinate.

"I know that he is neither emotionally or physically ready to protect you from them," Raidou said.

"I don't need anyone's protection, not Shisui's, not Gai's, and not yours. I am a Jounin Kunoichi of Konohagakure. I'm known across the shinobi world!" she snapped, heaving with rage.

"The Red Lotus is known worldwide, but that name means nothing to your clan. You mean nothing to them and as hard as you try you never will," Raidou growled. She reeled back as if struck. Those were the words she knew in her heart, but had never dared say aloud as if it would make it real, as if it would make it final. Her black eyes blurred with tears, but she fought them, not wanting to cry, not wanting to show weakness. Only Gai… only Gai could see. Not even Raidou, Kouichi, or Kura… never again. She had promised herself after her breakdown when Obito had been taken from her.

"Why are you saying this?" she asked, using her best shinobi voice, cold and detached, hard like a stone.

"Because you need to hear it. You need to understand what your life is going to be when you choose him, and I know you will choose him. We've all known that… I have for years… since that mission in Kusa," Raidou spoke slowly, sliding his hands into his pockets. "If you aren't ready, I lose two important comrades and I will not accept that. Do not be stupid about this Moriko. We are in a war."

Moriko shook her head, turning quickly and walking away from him, away from her friend, her teammate. She couldn't do it anymore, keep it all inside. Tears streamed down her face as she walked and she performed a transportation jutsu to Gai's apartment, inside his living room. As expected he was off training, probably tracking down Kakashi. She knew her comment to Ren would get him riled up. She walked into his room slowly, looking over at his windowsill. A picture of them smiled back at her: Gai giving a thumbs up and she winking, both looking tired and beaten up, but satisfied. She walked to the picture, lifting it from the surface and looking at it for a few moments, ignoring the tears that dropped onto the glass.

She could still remember him from before with those long sleeves and pants, how he would trip over his own feet constantly, holding them back on every mission despite her attempts to make his deficiencies invisible to their sensei. She remembered how unsure he'd been before, his lack of confidence so pathetic and frustrating to build bit by bit. He'd been a mess as a shinobi, not even worthy of the rank of genin if it weren't for his proficiency with the summoning jutsu. Now he was feared throughout the border, respected in the village for his abilities, for proving time and time again that he was more powerful than any others his age except perhaps Kakashi. Though if anyone could defeat Kakashi, Moriko had to admit it would probably be her Gai-kun.

She looked over at the nightstand by his bed where a more recent picture of she, Raidou, and Gai was placed. They sat on a bench near the memorial stone all three in black. It had been after losing Ichiro. He had been holding her hand then, her head resting on his shoulder. She sat the photo down, walking quickly from the room to the living room. She looked at the door, but the thought of returning to the Uchiha Complex was nauseating after the discussion just had or rather after the chewing out she'd received.

She sat on the couch where she'd spent almost as many nights as in her own home since becoming jounin, more perhaps. The tears fell in steady streams down her face. She laid down, staring out into the darkness of the quiet room. She was so tired, yet sleep wasn't bound to come easily. She felt a small creature crawl from her weapons pouch and didn't even move. "Kohaku," she greeted the tortoise. He'd revealed his familiar chakra signature just before moving.

"I am sorry for your tears Mori-chan," he said, his reddish-orange shell looking brown in the fading moonlight. His grey eyes met hers after a moment. He was about the size of her small fist. It was impressive Gai had been able to plant him without her knowledge. She didn't bother trying to figure out when he'd done it. She was too tired.

"Please don't-"

"I do not tell everything to Gai-kun," he replied sharply. He pulled out two small swords from under his shell walking up over her side, to her shoulder and jumping to the armrest of the couch. "I will guard your position until Gai-kun's return, taicho!" he declared.

"There's no need for that Kohaku-san," she told him.

"Gai's captain is my captain and a warrior protects his leader with his life," Kohaku declared. Moriko buried her face into the worn cushion.

"Arigatou," she murmured in a muffled voice.

"You are a great shinobi Moriko-san," Kohaku said. "It has always been an honor to serve beside you. You trained our Gai-kun well." Moriko said nothing more, continuing to let her tears soak the cushion silently. Her chest ached. She had been able to force her eyes to deactivate, but she still fought her emotions. She wondered if she'd ever be able to control them. The presence of Gai's familiar was comforting her just enough to allow her to relax into a somewhat settled sleep.

Little did Moriko know, it would not have been necessary for Kohaku to abandon her trust in such a way. As she lay in his living room, Gai stood above on the rooftop, looking down at where he could feel her familiar signature, wishing he knew what to do. Usually when he was lost as a child he had remained so, his parents gone from such a young age and before too lost in the war to realize how lost their son was. When he'd finally been given a team, it had been Moriko who had answered all his questions, who had guided him and he'd grown to care for her in a way different than he ever had another person. He admired her more than anyone, because she took the time to care and she cared so much about so many with almost nothing in return.

He sat down slowly upon the roof, contemplating all he'd seen and all he'd heard in such a short span of time that it was almost difficult to process all of it. Raidou had always underestimating him. Even when Raidou thought he was not doing so, he was still because Raidou did not know all that Gai could do. Not even Moriko knew all just as he was sure he didn't know all of her greatest gifts. He could never imagine that he meant as much to her as he did. He knew he was her most important person, but how important he was… Raidou made it clear and Moriko had not contested. Gai slowly sat down, closing his eyes and allowing himself to meditate on the issue. He was usually quick to deny being unprepared for something, but Moriko… she was worth every last breath he had to offer.

He had to be sure though, sure that these feelings inside him were not transient, were not changeable because one thing Kouichi-sensei had been able to teach him in their limited time together was that certainty was not something to be gained in a moments reaction unless the situation required it. If there was something very important, it demanded reflection and a degree of contemplation before a stance was truly taken. He rarely used this technique as he was so fond of living in the moment, but just this once, Gai felt that Kouichi-sensei may have known this would be a problem he would face.

After barely minutes of truly concentrating, Gai knew that there was nothing else he could do. His heart told him where he was meant to be and it was by Moriko's side until the cold reality of their world tore them apart. He would not let her down, he would be anything and everything she needed from him even if it meant keeping an eye on his back to avoid angry Uchiha. She would need time. Of that he was sure. He could use as much as he could get to become stronger because he had to protect her, he had to protect his most important person.

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"Your platoons grow stronger by the day. I daresay they have both grown in your absence," the hokage said, looking between Moriko and Ibiki. The scroll between them was a bit dirty but little worse for the wear. Ibiki had a few scratches and Moriko a raised bruise to the side of her forehead, but altogether the two did astonishingly well for the mission's anticipated obstacles. Luckily it had not been as difficult as predicted. Sometimes it worked that way, though it was much more noticeable when the opposite happened.

"Maito Gai has shown exponential improvement, which is surprising as the rate he was already growing was remarkable in its own right," the hokage said.

"Gai-kun is a credit to our platoon. He is a genius of hard work," Moriko said.

"Anything you can tell me about his reaction to not being assigned your partner for this latest mission?" the hokage asked, nonchalantly. "Anger towards ones kage is hardly acceptable in most circles." Moriko's face flamed in embarrassment and irritation. Gai hardly ever stepped out of line except within the confines of his eccentric and positive attitude. Sometimes Genma or Roru who'd become a fairly-steady member of their team and on rare occasions Kura, but never Gai.

"I will see to-"

"No, no, Moriko," the hokage said. "He is very unreasonable at times your comrade, but he does not in any way strike me as disloyal rather the contrary. Perhaps it is time however for him to have a platoon of his own?"

"Maito?!" Ibiki said loudly out of instinct. Moriko found herself stunned for a moment as well. Everyone thought Raidou would be the first to leave her, including herself. He was more the strategist while Gai was more the heart of the team. She had no doubt he would make an excellent platoon leader but something in her hesitated to say as such, only for a moment however. As much as she would hate being separated from Gai she knew their platoon was not likely to remain intact much longer.

"Gai would make an exceptional platoon leader Hokage-sama. I would follow him into any battle and I don't doubt that once given the proper time beside him, any shinobi in Konoha would be able to see that he will one day become the strongest shinobi in the village, surpassing even the best jounin we have," she proclaimed, her face dead serious while Ibiki openly gawked at her.

"Yes…" the hokage agreed with a contemplative expression.

"Continue as you are, I will think more on this," he instructed. "Ibiki, before you get some well-deserved rest, please see to it that your platoon medic reports to Gate 1 for a simple C-rank messenger mission. I am short-handed on messengers."

"Hai," Ibiki nodded.

"Thank you for this. You're both dismissed," he said, waving the scroll. The two both stood, bowing and backing away before turning and leaving the room.

Moriko was surprised at the Hokage's idea of making Gai a platoon-leader. She could hardly think what she'd do were she to see him less. As it was, she had to limit her time with him outside of training as the eyes of the Uchiha had increased ten-fold in the last couple of months which of course lead to more training by them both. She wondered what Gai had done to catch the hokage's particular attention since she'd left on mission. She'd been gone a couple of weeks but he couldn't have changed that dramatically… could he?

Moriko reached into her weapons pouch, retrieving Rin and holding her on her palm. "Gai-kun?" Ren asked. Moriko nodded. Ren closed her eyes for a few moments before jerking her head in the direction of her shinobi companion.

"Thank you Ren-chan. Please get some rest," Moriko said. Ren disappeared with a smile in a small poof. Moriko masked her chakra and proceeded at a regular civilian speed. She made her way through the bustling streets wondering at how little they'd seen, how little they knew of the horrors of the war outside the safety of this village.

Fresh in her mind, Moriko recalled the last fight, a fight with a pair of shinobi who had not been strong enough to even hope to beat them. They had known from the start, but they had fought and Moriko and Ibiki had held back enough to allow them some semblance of a last stand. When they'd spent their last effort, the kunoichi laying unmoving, but staring at the male shinobi while he crawled towards her, she'd felt horrible pain. Moriko had walked to the man and lifted him up. Ibiki had watched her in utmost awe as she'd carried him to her side.

"They call you the Red Lotus…?" he'd whispered in her ear.

"Ah," she had nodded.

"Hanabi-chan prefers lilies," he'd confided. As she laid him down, she stared into his dark brown eyes which were directed towards the girl, reminding her of a more familiar pair of black ones than anything, something shining in them that she had only ever seen in Gai's eyes. She wondered what it was, but something in her heart told her that pretending she didn't know was a lie. After only a moment's debate, she turned to her comrade.

"Ibiki, watch them," she said, as she laid him down.

"Moriko what are you doing?" Ibiki had demanded, knowing they had little time, but Moriko didn't pay him any mind. In minutes, she returned with four large lily flowers. She placed them in the now-joined hands of the two dying shinobi, watching as the kunoichi passed and only moments after her shinobi companion.

This was the kind of thing only shinobi really saw and even fewer allowed themselves to feel. She wondered if that would be how she went. Would it be she and her most important comrade there someday? Would they be just barely too weak to finish a fight and die side-by-side with the knowledge that they had given their all and they'd died best friends fighting for their people, for their home. Moriko looked down at her chest, her thin hand finding the small necklace around her throat as she found herself doing more and more often these days as she bit her lip or maybe she'd always done it, but her conversation with Raidou had brought her feelings and her insecurities upon her in double force.

Moriko was feeling incredibly somber had been unable to even force a smile since the start of the mission. It had been the first without Gai in half a year, but when she stood at the edge of the training ground next to a bench, watching Gai who stood blind-folded in the center, Genma and Matsu both attacking without hesitation while he parried them off easily, shouting out words of encouragement and instruction as he went, she had to smile. He was particularly amazing, better than Kakashi she was sure even with the single-tomoe sharingan he bore, a heavy burden to be sure which brought with it a large number of enemies from the clan who would rather die than teach an outsider.

It took less than a few moments before Gai reached up and jerked his headband from its place covering his eyes and ran to her. She braced herself as his strong, muscled body pummeled into her with the full speed of his enthusiasm. She couldn't keep the smile from her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck, allowing herself to be lifted completely off the ground. "Moriko-taicho!" Genma cried, but Gai said nothing. Despite his silence, she knew he was happy to see her. That was evident by the tears she felt upon her still-sweat-soaked neck. It had been a long run and the hokage had gotten them straight in.

"Good to see you back Moriko-san," Matsu said, with a broad grin. She opened her eyes, sending a more muted smile to Matsu who nodded back. Her arms which were wrapped around shoulders relaxed slightly and she placed a hand on the back of his neck. Not taking the hint, Gai continued to cling to her.

"Gai she was gone three weeks!" Genma exclaimed with a laugh. "She's been gone longer before." Gai didn't say a word. He didn't release her, grasping her with all his strength.

"Gai," Moriko said softly. Finally he let out a sigh, lowering her until her feet were firmly planted on their own, though he rested his hands on her ribs for a few more seconds before turning away. Moriko embraced both Matsu and Genma. "The missions was over-ranked," she admitted.

"What did they have it ranked?" Matsu asked with a frown.

"She went with Ibiki so it had to be high. He's one of the best chuunin in the village after all," Genma said. Moriko looked at him sharply to see he was smirking slightly as he glanced to the Gai who had stiffened immediately at the words.

"Ibiki was chosen due to his ability to withstand high levels of pain and other more specific interrogation techniques," she said sharply. Genma shut his mouth, but she knew the damage had been done. "His specialty is different than any other chuunin in the village which made him ideal, but not the best choice in my opinion, though it was important an Uchiha was involved. I have information I must transmit to Fugaku-sama. You can continue your training," she suggested. Genma and Matsu gave her horrified looks.

"I will escort you," Gai said quickly before either of his training comrades could complain.

"Definitely!" Genma said, quickly agreeing.

"You should have someone walk you after returning from a strenuous mission!" Matsu chimed in at the same time. They both knew that Moriko knew they only wished to escape more of Gai's rough treatment, but were hoping she'd let it slide.

"You escape training this time, but we will have a team session tomorrow as soon as the sun begins to rise," she said, her tone low and dangerous indicating she was not pleased with them. Both of their faces fell. Gai was bad, but Moriko really thought out her torturous sessions, Gai's could be led with the proper cues to something easier or at least different if they really tried. Moriko wasn't so easily fooled by their "innocent" suggestions. Moriko led the way towards the Uchiha Compound, but was stopped a few blocks down as Gai's hand encircled hers and pulled her gently to the right. She allowed him to lead her into an alleyway with confusion. Her cheeks took on a rosy hue as she looked down at his hand.

"Moriko, I wish to be trained," Gai said.

"Apparently, you've improved greatly just in the last few weeks. I've told you there is little else that I can teach you. We have to learn together now. It's been that way for a long while now," she said, seriously.

"I want to learn how to be what they need me to be to accompany you on such missions as Ibiki did in my stead," he said. She stiffened, jerking her hand back and looking off to the side.

"Gai, I don't want that for you," she said. "Besides, it was more my accompanying him."

"I don't believe that. You are the jounin," he replied.

"In certain situations rank bears little meaning," she muttered.

"I need to know how to be your second," he said, sounding frustrated.

"My second?" she repeated, blinking owlishly.

"I do not wish to be separated from you on any high-level mission ever again because I was not strong enough!" he exclaimed. She closed her eyes.

"Gai… there is no training that I-"

"I will become strong enough to be able to remain by your side!" he exclaimed.

"Gai-"

"I will never again allow another chuunin such as Ibiki to-"

"GAI SHUT UP!" she shouted harshly, before covering her mouth in shock as his painful look hit her full force. She looked back and forth up the alley to be certain no one was listening in. "There is nothing left that I have to teach you Gai-kun. Surely you can see that?" she whispered. He blinked in confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

"Gai… you are just as strong as me Perhaps I have more experience as a strategist, but that will come… as soon as the hokage separates us," she said, realizing that that was what the hokage meant to do. It was the most logical course of action.

"I don't want to be separated!" he growled.

"Konoha needs it. You're too strong to be serving under any shinobi," she said. Her face reddened and she felt embarrassment wash over her. She'd been holding onto him for so long she'd hardly realized how much he was doing the same. She should have separated herself from him as a shinobi sooner, before the pain she felt when she went on missions without him had begun affect him so greatly. "Gai, you had to know that someday you would surpass me, that you would surpass everyone. You are a genius of hard work. You can turn any activity into training and you meet every challenge with the utmost enthusiasm and vigor. There is no shinobi who could lead you for very long."

"Moriko, I never want to… I cannot believe I will ever surpass you and I want you to know that despite your words I will fight to remain at your side," he said.

"Who are you going to fight? Me?" she asked.

"If I have to," he frowned, crossing his arms stubbornly.

"Minato?" she questioned.

"Yes," he said without hesitation.

"The hokage?" she pressed one step further. Finally Gai paused, looking at Moriko with a helpless look that she felt deeply. She could see that he was not thinking about it though. He lifted his head and lowered it once in the affirmative, but before he could open his mouth, she quickly covered it shaking her head and sighing heavily.

"Some things should not be said, Gai," she whispered.

"I will protect you, Mori-chan," he said. She stared at him for a long moment before nodding.

"We will see where this world takes us, Gai-kun," she murmured, her hand lingering on his mouth for a moment before she lowered it and started walking forward, keeping a close eye on the Uchiha following them. That was just what she needed, Shisui hearing about her reunion with her teammate. It couldn't be helped though. It wasn't like she could attack the shadow, though the thought had crossed her mind. She looked at Gai, knowing in her heart he was worth it as he stared ahead a very serious expression on his face. He seemed deeply troubled. She wondered what she could do to ease his mind, but something told her that it was out of her hands.

Moriko couldn't argue with him anymore. She felt the same as he. If she had her way, they would never undergo missions without each other, but the missions she took on were rougher than what he was used to and she had spent months trying to block his entrance into the darker side of this war. If she was honest with herself, she'd been trying to protect him from the worst since he joined her team years ago. It was time to stop, to admit that he was stronger than her and didn't need her protection. She had come to the conclusion a few months before and if he'd improved as greatly as the hokage implied in the few short weeks she'd been gone, then it was time for him to join her as jounin and to take on the missions she had been trying to keep him from.

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Moriko glanced at her teammate who was breathing heavily after another round of raucous laughter. She smiled, completely content for the first time in a very long time. There were no impending missions, none of her platoon laid in a hospital bed recovering from their latest mission and best of all, Gai had been promoted today to the rank of Special Jounin. It was almost surreal to think that they were both jounin-level shinobi now. Gai's specialty in Taijutsu had finally brought him to the highest levels of the shinobi ranks along with his best friend.

Moriko was glad he'd made it because it meant that they had finally done it. They'd accomplished what they'd promised each other as kids. They had become top village shinobi and they had done it together every step of the way.

The sun shone down on them, lighting the area with brilliant rays. The war was still raging and though the tide had turned in their favor a couple years back, it was still there in the back of their minds. Sometimes it was healthy to just put it out of ones consciousness at least for a little while. Life was beautiful. Moriko closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. She laid back in the grass, with a sigh.

"I knew we'd be here one day, Mori-chan, but it feels so good to have made it," Gai told her. She opened her eyes to see him lying beside her, his head turned towards her, eyes on hers. The goofy grin on his face was impossibly infectious.

"Training Ground Four?" she asked with a laugh. "How astute of you Gai-kun," she teased. He smiled, reaching over to ruffle her hair as she used to do to him when they were kids. She giggled, batting his hands away. "Of course it was only a matter of time that we took over Kakashi's training ground. Your eternal rival had no chance against our youthful skill and perseverance!" Moriko shouted to the sky.

Gai laughed, enjoying when she spoke of youth. It was his trademark of course but it was important to him. A youthful spirit meant one that was able to see the beauty of the world despite the darkness of reality. It was innocence without the actual helplessness that often accompanied it. To him, it was as important as any other desirable shinobi characteristics, perhaps more so.

"As usual, your false misunderstanding shall be overlooked as you are my first and most important comrade," Gai said graciously, his grin widening further if that was even possible.

Moriko looked back up at the clouds, but Gai's eyes lingered, taking in the planes of her happy and untroubled face bearing an expression so rare these days under the pressure of leading one of the last chuunin platoons of their generation. The others had broken up into separate jounin and chuunin assignments, leaving Moriko's Platoon, officially named Lotus, the most senior for their mission level: usually B though more and more often they underwent A-ranking. Gai loved seeing her relaxed like this: relaxed… happy, something he knew she only was in his presence which made him feel even more important, even more needed.

"I love moments like this," she said softly, her tone light and dreamy. He nodded looking up at the blue sky and enjoying the soft breeze as it blew past them.

"Ah, they are few and far between but the sun's rays will always find a way to shine even through the dark storm-clouds of war," he spoke thoughtfully. To most, his poetic way of sometimes saying things was silly or irritating. It didn't help that they were often shouted or at least spoken in a loud and grating voice. Moriko had never complained, rather encouraged this habit of his. She enjoyed his thoughts and didn't like when he kept them to himself.

Moriko shifted closer so they were shoulder to shoulder and he looked to her again with a more reserved smile, just the slightest upturn of his lips. It was the kind of smile he kept only for his closest friends and almost exclusively Moriko. She was his best friend no… she was closer than that, closer than blood.

"Gai, where do you think we'd be if we never met?" she asked the 15 year old beside her, having been wondering that a lot these last few months. "What if you'd been placed on another team or graduated the next year?"

"Why waste our time on what could have been Mori-chan," Gai muttered. He paused for a moment. "I know that I would not be half what I am today without you," he admitted.

Moriko didn't look at him, knowing that she wouldn't be what she was without her beloved Gai-kun. She closed her eyes, trying to push those thoughts away. Raidou had been right at the Uchiha festival as well as every other time he'd brought the subject up since then. Gai was best off without her trying to change their relationship in that way. He was younger than her. It may have only been a couple years and it may seem like nothing after the eight years they'd spent together, but adding in all that came along with being an Uchiha female, the curse of her shinobi career, he was better off being her comrade, her best friend and most trusted person.

"I know that isn't true Gai-kun," Moriko disagreed, turning her hand beside his and taking hold of it. He gripped it back fiercely. "You would still have become an amazing and awe-inspiring shinobi. You would have become Maito Gai, the great green beast of Konoha and you would have been exactly who you are."

"Which will never be quite enough will it?" he murmured somberly. She frowned, his lack of surety striking her. She hadn't heard that tone since he'd been nine years old, unable to grip the Phoenix Fire Jutsu at which time she'd refused to allow him rest until he performed it, proving him wrong within 14 hours. "I only mean that I will never match you. It's like chasing lightning."

"Gai, you have surpassed me already. How many times must I remind you before you start taking me seriously?" she said, holding his gaze squarely He shook his head with a frown causing her brow to furrow.

Moriko considered for a moment before her hand clamped down on his with a bone-crushing strength so he knew she was serious. She threw herself to her feet, flinging him up over her shoulder and towards the ground in front of her but he spun quickly in her grasp, finding his feet . He pushed her hard backwards, but she flipped quickly getting the ground beneath herself and jumping to tackle him. She shifted to the right slightly when he adjusted to meet her. Instead she barely slipped by him as he expertly used his speed to avoid her. Her hand did catch hold of his wrist, second hand raising in a punch which he ducked easily but her foot followed it. He barely caught it in time.

Gai spent a few more moments on the defensive before finally using his superior strength to grab hold of her. Once he had a good grip, she had little chance. His chakra and his strength locked his grasp in place at her elbow and in seconds he had her pinned beneath him, legs entangled with hers to immobilize them.

Moriko attempted to slip it, but it wasn't just a taijutsu hold. He had employed a full binding jutsu, every inch of his body in contact with hers locking her in place with chakra. Even she was surprised he'd been able to perform those hand signs without her noticing. He chanced raising his head from beside her, judging rightly that she wouldn't go for a head butt in this instance to cause him to lose his chakra holds, though he kept her hands held tightly in his, not wanting to make it too tempting to fight back by giving her free use of her powerful hands. He held them above her head, separated from each other with their fingers laced to prevent any sot of hand sign coming together.

"I told you," she said, her breathing not even disturbed by the rush of movement that had only seconds ago occurred. His dark eyes met hers and he frowned surprised at the blood red hue that met his gaze.

"Not even a Sharingan can best the great Maito Gai," she said, blinking. When her eyes opened they were a soft black once more. They stayed very still, Moriko wondering if he did not notice their prolonged proximity. She felt heat rise in her and as she realized why, her face grew even redder from embarrassment. "Gai," she said softly.

"Moriko," he replied in the same tone. She felt his chakra holds release, but his chakra still hummed over her skin. She closed her eyes trying to control her breathing which had been no trouble after their mini-spar but now after a few moments of being hyperaware of Gai's muscled body pressed tightly against hers she was breathless.

"We ca…" she couldn't finish. She didn't know what to say. His nose touched to hers and she wondered for a moment if he was oblivious of what he was doing right now, but something told her that Gai had realized some things in the last year: things about himself and even some things about her.

"Why?" he asked quietly. She swallowed hard and he leaned towards her but instead of his lips finding hers, his cheek rested against hers and he breathed in deeply. She closed her eyes tightly turning her face towards him until her lips were against his neck. He shuddered slightly as she kissed his skin softly, his hands tightening, hers closing around his in response.

Gai pulled back suddenly, looking down at her for a long moment as if considering something before he dipped his head back down, his lips meeting hers in a soft, sweet kiss. She let out a soft sound and he released one of her hands to bring his down. He cupped her cheek as he deepened the kiss, his lips kneading hers sensually. Her free hand moved to rest on the side of his neck. It was a gentle, slow kiss and compared to her uncomfortable first kiss with Raidou a while ago, it was perfect. When he pulled back he rested his forehead against hers, bringing her hand down with his to place it over his chest. He rolled over and settled next to her again, shoulder to shoulder as they had been before. She felt a bubbling of happiness overcome her again and she laughed lightly, turning slightly to rest her cheek against his shoulder.

"I don't care what they say," he said. "Any of them." The warmth was conflicted as she thought of Shisui. He would try to kill Gai if he ever found out just how much he meant to her and she didn't doubt his ability to badly hurt him though she had the utmost faith in Gai's skill.

"Gai, I think… There's something I need you to understand, something Raidou doesn't think you know or comprehend I suppose. At least… he didn't before," Moriko said softly, nervously.

"I will not let them destroy your chance to be the best kunoichi Konoha has ever seen," Gai said suddenly. She swallowed hard, turning her head to look at him. He stared back at her intensely. "You forget that Raidou underestimates me. I've known and comprehended for years. I'm aware about what the others say and think of me. I may miss some, but not what is important, Mori-chan," he assured her. "Not you." He lifted the hand he still had grasp of to his lips and kissed the back of it before lowering it to hold against his chest once more. His eyes slid closed and she felt a shock of fear, her hand tightening in Gai's. She shifted slightly, leaning her head against Gai's arm. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe it was possible to be safe and happy, but she knew it was not.

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