A/N: Chapter 10 is here. Hope everyone likes it. It's kind of revealing and heartwarming.
As Anko got up off her couch and glanced at the clock, she realized it was five minutes to ten. "Shoot, I fell asleep and now it's almost time to met Kuro. He'll kill me if I'm late to something this important." She dashed out of her apartment and headed for the entrance gates.
As she ran towards the gates, Anko saw that the streets were becoming clear and stores were closing. "I wonder why Kuro wanted to meet at night. I guess he wanted to talk while there were less people out and about. That's just like him" Anko thought.
When she finally reached the gates, Kuro was already waiting for her. He wasn't facing her but he already knew she was there. "So…he told you everything?" Kuro asked getting directly to the point.
"Yeah," she said quietly. Anko could feel a strange vibe coming from Kuro. To her, he wasn't the same as he normally was. Now, it seemed that, he was in a deep thought mode. There was also a change in the tone of voice he used. It seemed partially sad and confused.
"Was it right after I left?" Kuro questioned again. He still wasn't facing her and kept the same tone of voice.
"Yeah but it was because I asked him. He was hesitant at first but in the end he told me."
Kuro stood quiet for a while, in deep thought. Finally he spoke, "Come on. Let's walk." He began to walk out of the village and into the forest.
Anko quickly caught up but stayed quiet. She didn't know what to say or even where to start. Millions of things were flying through her head. She still wasn't sure if what Saito said was true but if it was she wanted to hear it directly from Kuro.
Kuro then finally broke the ice by saying, "Do you want to start or should I?"
"You should because I have no idea where to begin."
"I know what you mean. Well, I guess I should start off by saying that I'm sorry for not telling you earlier."
Anko quickly protested saying, "No, it's not your fault. I know that it was something that you didn't want everyone to know because if they knew…" Anko became quiet at the thought of people finding out. "They would probably see him as a monster and try to kill him."
"Well still, I think it would have been fair for you to know," Kuro confessed. "I think that since the beginning I felt I trusted you more than anyone else. I don't know why but you're different." Kuro stared at Anko for the first time in hours. "I don't know if it's because of the way you act, or are, or if it's because of my subconscious remembering Mutsumi. All I know is that you're becoming a great friend to me." He smiled at Anko.
Anko stood quiet at his words. To her they were sweet and kind but she saw that from that point onward they were going to be even better friends. Anko returned Kuro's smile but then said sharply, "I bet it isn't your subconscious because I probably don't look anything like Mutsumi. You didn't even notice until Saito brought it up."
Kuro laughed a little. "Well, now that I actually think about it; both of you have the same hair color, both of you are about the same height, and…have the same curves," he explained as he eyed Anko.
Anko gave Kuro a very irritated look. He then quickly said, "What, it's a compliment."
Anko brushed off his little comment and continued looking forward. Up ahead she saw that they were coming to a clearing on top of a small hill.
"Where are we going?" Anko asked curiously. She worried that if they strayed too far from Konoha they might be out too long.
"See that big tree right there," Kuro said as he pointed to the tree he was talking about, "It's my little paradise."
"Why?" Anko asked sarcastically.
"You'll see when we get there."
When they got to the tree, Kuro took a seat on the ground and rested his back against the trunk. The tree was curved in such a way that it allowed someone to recline comfortably. Anko also took a seat next to Kuro and followed his example.
"That's why this is my little paradise," Kuro said as he point up to the sky.
When Anko looked up she saw all of the stars that we shining brightly. Because of the clearing and of the tree's angle, it gave a perfect view of the stars and moon in the sky. She too felt the happiness that the place had to offer. When she looked over at Kuro, he had his hands behind his head and was looking up at the sky with a smile on his face.
"It'd be my paradise too but there's something missing," Anko said as she sat up, and placed her hands on Kuro's headband. "May I?" she asked implying that she wanted to take the band off.
Kuro lay hesitant for a second but then quickly remarked, "You deserve it." He began to untie the headband. When he finished, Anko slowly removed it. Behind the band, his eyes shone a blue and green color.
Anko stared at his eyes. As she stared at him, he did the same. Both never said anything or did anything. They just rested there, staring. It almost seemed hypnotic to her, being able to look at Kuro eye-to-eye.
When she finally noticed she was staring, she blushed tremendously. She'd just realized that the entire time she had been staring at his eyes. She quickly sat up and looked away in embarrassment. She put her hand over her mouth trying to calm herself down. Kuro just smiled to himself. He knew that he had been staring too but it didn't bother him.
"So…do you have any questions?" Kuro asked as he directed his focus to Anko.
Instantly, millions of questions ran through Anko's mind but she wanted to find the most important. With that said, she easily found the correct question to ask before asking anything else. "Is it all true? I mean…I just can't believe it. I understand what Saito said but my mind just can't comprehend that someone like that actual lives. So…is it true?"
Kuro turned back to the sky and said, "I wish it weren't." Anko turned around to look at him. She saw his eyes become a purple color. "Sadness," she thought.
"I really do wish I could tell you it's a lie...I wish I wasn't cursed with this life…I wish I wasn't left alone through the beginning years of my life…I wish I didn't have to leave Teuchi long ago…I wish Mutsumi hadn't killed herself because of me…but when I think of these thing I also remember something…I can wish all I want but it's just something that will never come true." Kuro then pointed to the sky as Anko followed. They both then saw a shooting star fly across the night. "Even if I wish on every single shooting star, I will never live a damn normal life."
"Well at least in that abnormal life, you have found great friends along the way," Anko said as she brought her knees to her chest. Kuro sat up with Anko as she continued to speak. "Teuchi and Ayame and Saito will always be there for you." Anko spoke with a voice of hope. It was like she had just shined a light in Kuro's dark world.
"And you?" He asked. "Will you be there for me?"
Anko thought about that for a second wondering, "Will I?" But these thoughts were quickly tossed aside as she hugged her legs, looked at Kuro and smiled. "Who else is going to keep you out of trouble?" She then rested her head on his shoulder.
"Yeah." Kuro said but then remember a question he had himself. "Hey, you said you understood my feeling of loneliness and that you were treated like shit; how come?"
Anko remembered her words loud and clear in her head. Her memories of that time came flooding back in. "Well, when I was a little kid I was training under one of the Legendary Sannin of our village. I respected him and had near-blind trust in him. He defected from the village and I followed him. One day, while in the Ocean country, he put me into an empty room and bit me. He gave me a curse seal." Anko explained as she showed Kuro the seal on her left shoulder. "I was locked in that room and left to endure hours of tremendous pain. When he came back, he offered me the chance to go with him but I rejected him. He told me I lacked hate and that's why I was never truly favored by him. Those hours in that room were the most terrible time of my life. I was alone, cold and in pain. Tossed aside like a piece of garbage. That's how I understand you, through that experience."
As Anko spoke, Kuro could see the type of pain she was recalling through her eyes. He could easily remember seeing those same eyes…in the mirror. "But don't worry; you'll have great friends along the way."
Anko smiled again and said, "Yeah, but will you be there for me like I'm there for you?"
Kuro smiled back saying, "Someone has to keep you in line tomorrow."
Anko quickly got up and yelled "Shit, I forgot about tomorrow. We have to go and get some sleep for tomorrow." Anko then started to walk away but Kuro quickly grabbed her hand.
"Wait…stay with me. Just for a little while longer."
Anko could feel herself blush. She tried hiding her blush with anger. "Fine, but just a little longer." She took her seat again.
"That's enough time for me," Kuro said as he leaned back against the tree again, "to enjoy this moment with you."
A/N: See heart-warming. Well next chapter is going to be the start of the mission but with a funny beginning. Lets just say that Kuro sleep-walks.