Chapter 11: Intentional Misunderstandings

"And I rose
In rainy autumn
And walked abroad in a shower of all my days..."

-Dylan Thomas, Collected Poems

The river's current was strong, yet silent as it carved its course through the rich soil. The river was used to traveling through rocky earth, fertile soil, murky swamps, and clear valleys in order to reach its destination. After the river flowed farther down in elevation, it wound and eroded at the soft stone that lay in the forested valleys, producing deep canyons. It was at one of these canyons where a lone merchant's cart was attempting to cross the gorge.

A bridge that was no more than a few years old was constructed for safe crossing over the ravine. The bridge was well-made having been comprised of steel and wire with heavy concrete blocks interwoven into the base of the structure. The ox-driven cart's sole owner was a small, elderly man that had traveled across the world many times in his life. He had traversed this canyon before but it was the first time he had witnessed the large bridge before.

The old merchant recalled there being a smaller, red bridge here but had heard it had been destroyed before the war. The new bridge seemed like it was a bit too bulky and expensive to have been built for a trade route of average use. Still, the old merchant assumed it was for a good reason. He did not like to question the manner of things.

As the old merchant made his oxen pull the cart across the bridge, the strong winds blew into his side. The heavy breeze came from the north and shot down the straight ravine regularly. The merchant had grown accustomed to the elements long ago and was unfazed by the air currents. He would like to say he had grown accustomed to solitude as well, but that would have been a lie. There was a time when he had been accompanied by a beautiful woman back when he used to question the world. However, the questioning and the pleasant company had eventually left him. All the old merchant had now was his cart. He had devoted his entire life to his cart and his experiences.

When the cart had reached the middle of the bridge, there was a gust of wind from a different direction and the man looked up to see what was in front of him. Before he saw the skinny man's repugnant smile, he felt the cold steel on his neck. The old merchant had encountered bandits many times in his life and wished that so many frequent occurrences would have made him used to being robbed long ago. Sadly, his wishes had never become a reality.

"Hello!" the skinny man exclaimed with an awful sneer. The old merchant knew better than to say anything. There were six men including the skinny leader surrounding the tiny cart. The leader was tall and his arms were thin and stringy, but the merchant knew it would be foolish to underestimate him. The leader did not seem to care that the old man did not reply. "You got a nice cart here, my friend."

The old merchant was still silent and the skinny leader still had a knife resting on the man's neck. "You ever heard of a tragedy, old man?" The merchant knew the question was rhetorical but even if it was not, he still would not have answered. "A tragedy is where a group of fine young men must travel great distances on foot with very little food to sustain them." The skinny man feigned a pitiful expression by quivering his thin lips. The old merchant did not appreciate the leader being facetious but there was little he could do about that. "But then you come along with your wonderful cart! You're our savior, old man!" The merchant was not amused and growing tired of the man's schemes. "We'd love to have it and everything in it."

The old merchant had been robbed countless times before but no one had ever taken his cart. All of the bandits had taken his goods, his pride, his oxen, and, at one time, the beautiful woman. No one cared for the cart until now. The merchant could not just give it up. He tried to appeal to the sickly-sweet leader. "Please, you can take everything but the cart. This cart is my livelihood. It's been with me for so long."

The merchant knew everything he said was falling on deaf and careless ears but he had to try. The skinny man showed all of his teeth and chortled in a shrill pitch. "Fuck, man. I had no idea! This cart is important to you, huh? Well, we can't have you worry about the poor piece of wood then, can we?" The old merchant knew where this was going. He felt like he had lived a long enough life but did not want it to end like this. "I can remedy your worries, old man." The merchant felt the blade press harder against his throat. He would not question it, he told himself. This was what fate had brought him and this would be what he took.

Suddenly, the blade left the presence of the merchant's neck. A loud crash was heard. The old merchant saw a blur of different scenes appear quickly before his eyes. A thick leg connected with the skinny man's face. A grin flashed. Ocean-blue eyes glinted in the sunlight. Several trees on the other side of the bridge were leveled by the impact of something.

"I think I went a little too far on that one," a warm voice said. The merchant was frantic in trying to discern what was happening around him. A familiar blond man was standing in front of the cart and scratching his head absentmindedly. Finally, the merchant's eyes widened considerably in realization. The blond man had kicked the skinny leader so hard his body had been smashed into the trees on the other side of the bridge. A dark-haired woman emerged from the other side of the cart.

The woman shook her head and smirked at the blond man. "You think, hero?" The men surrounding the cart must have assessed the situation correctly because they swiftly ran away from the imposing duo.

The bandits ran to where their leader's body lay. The leader's bones were broken but to Naruto's sensing skills, he was still alive. The gang of bandits stared back at the blond in horror. They immediately recognized him and fled the area as fast as they could. Naruto summoned a clone and sent it after them. He made sure the clone would apprehend them and take them to the proper authorities. After Naruto's clone disappeared in pursuit, the blond turned to the old man. The old merchant knew who Naruto Uzumaki was but had never met the legend in person. The old man was made speechless at the astonishing figure in front of him. Naruto leaned forward and waved at the merchant. "Are you well? No injuries?"

The old merchant could only nod his head when the hero smiled brightly at him.

"You really terrified that merchant we saved earlier," Kurotsuchi said over the crackling of the embers.

Naruto peered over the flames of the campfire and into her eyes. "The skinny guy was pissing me off." He wanted to respond quicker than he actually did, but Kurotsuchi's eyes were changed into a swirling color of pinkish-cherry by the fire. He was captivated by the vibrancy in them.

Kurotsuchi took a bite from a roasted fish they had caught that day. She would normally be against a fire in the open wild but considering the strength of her partner, she was not worried. "You should learn how to control your anger better then."

Naruto tried not to smile as he showed mock outrage. "Says the lady who becomes enraged when a guy looks at her the wrong way and smashes his face in."

Kurotsuchi joined in on the mock emotions. "See, that's different."

"Please, enlighten me."

"A pervert deserves to have his bones broken." She furrowed her brow in mild frustration.

Naruto was extremely amused at her facial expressions. "You're contradicting yourself."

Her dark locks swayed with the flames as she tilted her head. "Shut up, hero."

All of their conversations had been similar in structure since they had left Kusa. The two shinobi had been traveling together for over a week now. They decided to maintain a leisurely pace since neither wished to stress over unnecessary time constraints. Their travels had been virtually uneventful until they had encountered the bandits on the bridge. The old merchant had thanked them gratefully and then they went their separate ways. About an hour after they left the bridge, Naruto received his clone's memories and noted that all criminals had been safely taken to a prison near the border. A few more hours and miles later, the two shinobi set up camp.

The border lands between the unnamed countries of where Taki and Kusa were located were mostly comprised of mangrove forests and marshes. Naruto had traveled these lands in his youth but did not know them as well as Kurotsuchi did. Because of her former position as bodyguard of the Tsuchikage and her former representation in the Union, she knew most of the continent well enough. She was rather unfamiliar with Mizu no Kuni, if she was being honest, but there was nothing to worry about with Naruto's connections.

Naruto was currently seated under a large mangrove tree and had decided to leave the conversation alone for the moment. He let the events and experiences with Kurotsuchi of this past week sink in. He felt like he knew the beautiful kunoichi a little better now but still knew it was not quite enough. He knew simple things about her, like her favorite color or food and her personality in general situations. But he was unaccustomed with who she was. He did not know what motivated her or what frightened her. The facts about her childhood and her thoughts about the world through her experiences were all unknown to him. There was another element to add to the equation Naruto had realized some time ago. Even if Naruto learned all these things about her, there was still the problem of her state of mind. Whatever had been bothering her since they had met up outside of Kusa was still highly prevalent in her mind. Naruto desperately wanted to press her on the subject but he knew there were better strategies to handle the situation. He just did not like them as much.

Naruto ate the last morsel of his fish and discarded the bones into the fire. He let his mind calm down and focused on the present. He would figure out what was best in time. "It seems we're close to Taki now," he stated softly. "We can take a much needed break from traveling there, if you'd like?"

Kurotsuchi nodded with enthusiasm at the proposition. "Sounds good to me."

They doused the fire then brought out their sleeping bags shortly after that. The night was tranquil and allowed them to sleep while the stars said good night.

The next morning, Kurotsuchi awoke to find herself alone. She was puzzled as she searched around for her companion. She noticed an obviously unnatural path present in the brush and made her way through it. The morning was cool and gentle with a steady breeze coming through the trees. Summer was almost at an end with autumn fast approaching. The transition of seasons was one of the most peaceful and beautiful times to Kurotsuchi. She remembered something important as she slowed her pace down through the foliage. She wanted to laugh at her negligence. If autumn was almost here and she had her dates correct, then today would be… Her thoughts were broken when she noticed a quaint meadow was in front of her.

The meadow was surrounded by mangroves and was made beautiful by a small stream of water running through it, highlighted by the green morning light. Seated on the far side of the meadow, was a handsome blond scribbling away on a scroll with a carefree smile on his face. Kurotsuchi knew Naruto had felt her presence before she had even entered the clearing, so she ambled her way over to him without announcing herself.

Naruto looked up from his scroll when the pretty woman approached him. "Good morning! Sorry that I didn't make breakfast." The blond usually made the meals for the two shinobi because Kurotsuchi hated cooking.

Kurotsuchi waved her hand to dismiss his apology. "It's fine. We'll get something in Taki." She glanced at the scroll. "What are you writing?"

The war hero actually looked embarrassed as he diverted his eyes away from her. She was surprised to hear nothing from him for a few seconds as he thought about what to say. He finally fastened his eyes to her and spoke the truth. "I originally came out here to write my report, but the atmosphere was so perfect and nice that I ended up writing something else."

Kurotsuchi's curiosity was awakened. "And that would be?"

Naruto was trying really hard not to seem like a child about the whole ordeal. If he had simply reacted with a cool demeanor in the first place, then he would have come across as nonchalant. He was slowly learning it was probably best to act like himself though. He gazed up at Kurotsuchi's delicate features. The woman could be irate and merciless when she wanted to, but her face carried a kind element to it that made Naruto feel dizzy sometimes. He decided it was best to be vulnerable with her. "I'm writing a novel."

Kurotsuchi smirked and lowered her eyelids in suspicion. "Seriously? Is it porn?"

Naruto appeared to be mortified at that audacious question. "What? No! Why the hell would you think that?"

She shrugged and sat cross-legged in the grass. "You've talked about your former sensei being the pervert who wrote the Icha Icha series, so I just assumed…"

Naruto shook his head with vigor and his cheeks were red with unease. "No! There's nothing like that in this story!"

Kurotsuchi leaned forward slightly. "Then what is it about?"

Naruto peered down at the scroll and rubbed his shoulder. "Well, it's about a civilian who is in love with a kunoichi. He spends most of his young life trying to impress her by trying to become a shinobi himself. He's unsuccessful at becoming a ninja, but-"

Kurotsuchi had her eyes closed and held up her hand to interject. "Let me guess: He finds out that the kunoichi had always loved him despite his attempts to impress her?"

Naruto was a bit perplexed at that perceptive observation and sighed. "I guess it's still too predictable, isn't it?"

Kurotsuchi shook her head and gave him an amused smile. "There's nothing wrong with being predictable in a story as long as it's interesting. If it helps, it sounds like it's worth reading. As long as your characterization is good, I think it will be a great story."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow and smirked at the kunoichi. "I didn't know you were interested in literature."

Kurotsuchi grinned and stood up. "I like to read." She stretched her arms above her head and yawned. "Let's get to Taki already. We should be there by mid-afternoon if we hurry."

Naruto nodded and followed after Kurotsuchi as she jumped over the lazy stream of water. After the war had ended and matters had settled down, Naruto had decided to try reading and writing for a change. He had quickly fallen in love with literature and wanted to write a story that could compare to some of the amazing fiction he had read. He also wanted to be a successful writer like Jiraiya had been, but one with different source material. Over the last couple of years, however, he had barely written a few pages. When he had awakened that morning and found the meadow, Naruto felt a certain pull to start writing again. If Naruto was asked to describe the pull, he would say it was like a tug on the heart to try to capture a moment of something truthful. He was fixated on trying to write the truest sentence he could when a moment like that came.

The two shinobi reached their campsite a few minutes later, packed up all of their belongings, and followed the trail that led to Taki. The trail's path meandered its way through a series of marshes and bogs. As the hours passed, the land started to change from murky waters to clear rivers and rushing waterfalls. The air was thicker, yet fresh with lush vegetation blooming all around the trail. Even though it was late summer, a dense fog rolled in and out of the area like a silent watcher. With the heavy sounds of the waterfalls and the foggy atmosphere, the country was made eerie and glorious at the same time. Naruto was so enchanted by the amazing scenery that the two of them took far longer to reach their destination than they had initially planned. When the sun was beginning to set in the west, Naruto could make out the silhouette of a jutted plateau rising above the earth.

The duo identified the plateau as being the location of Takigakure and marched their way to its base. Before the war, Taki was known as a shrewd and secretive village that rarely welcomed outsiders or visitors. In recent years, thanks to the overwhelming peace, the village had opened up its doors to trade and tourism. The base of the famous, giant waterfall that fell from the plateau was a popular spot for tourists to admire and observe the natural wonder. Because evening was fast approaching, the number of people viewing the waterfall was modest.

There was a great staircase that had been built into the sheer rock wall of the plateau not far from the waterfall. Naruto and Kurotsuchi climbed up the well-used staircase and by the time they had reached the village, the moon was shining down on them. Thanks to the rise in tourism and trade, Taki boasted in having a plethora of inns scattered throughout its limits. The two shinobi began to look for an inn with a vacant room. Unfortunately, many of the inns were packed with guests and tourists.

Naruto and Kurotsuchi passed through the busy center of the village to find an inn. People had been stopping the two of them regularly to speak with and give their regards to Naruto. When the two of them walked by a happy couple with a little boy in between them, Kurotsuchi saw a sad sight. Naruto had an almost forlorn expression when he saw the joyful family. The odd part of it was that he actually smiled when he saw the three of them, but it was not cheerful in the slightest. Perhaps, it was his attempt at admiration of the beautiful family but it was poorly manifested. It was a smile that reminded Kurotsuchi of tragic events and lamentations.

Kurotsuchi knew Naruto grew up not only as an orphan, but also as a jinchūriki. The man had probably always craved a family of his own growing up. Seeing the strong and courageous war hero in that state made Kurotsuchi pause to think on how to deal with the new information.

After over an hour of searching, the two shinobi finally discovered an inn with a vacant room. The room was actually more of a suite with two separate bedrooms and a central living area. Naruto had decided to splurge a little bit with the money he had been given by Kakashi to rent the room for a night or two. When they entered the room, Kurotsuchi quickly picked her bed and found Naruto sitting in one of the chairs in the living area.

Kurotsuchi had decided on how she would handle the situation that happened earlier. She took a deep breath and sat in a chair adjacent to Naruto. "What exactly was that back there?"

Her question seemed to hang in the air as Naruto looked down at his hands. He knew she had been looking at him ever since they passed the family in the streets. He had mentally kicked himself dozens of times for letting the smile slip. "A bad habit," he answered slowly.

"That was more than a habit, Naruto."

He looked over to her and seemed to ponder her words. There were very few instances where she had addressed him as anything other than 'hero' and he made a mental note that this meant she was serious. He surmised that vulnerability was always going to be the best option with her. "Sometimes when I see something like that, I miss my parents. I was able to know them for a little while, but sometimes I just wish they could be here with me."

Kurotsuchi wanted to sympathize with the man but both of her parents were still alive. She was not well-versed in relating to others and was rather poor in situations like these. A thought passed through her mind that sounded harmless and she did not think on it long enough to realize its implications. "Well, why don't you make your own family?" For years to come, Kurotsuchi would continually be stuck between regret and gratitude for that question because of the repercussions that would result from it.

His eyes were practically glued to Kurotsuchi's face for what seemed like an eternity. Naruto racked his brain to try to decipher what that question meant. Were there any implications hidden within it? Or was it merely a harmless question? Naruto was uncertain. "You make it sound easy," he said.

Kurotsuchi tried to flow with the conversation. "It can't be too hard to find a woman considering you're Naruto Uzumaki. I'm sure girls are always after you."

"What if I don't want them?" Naruto was getting ahead of himself. He was becoming overwhelmed by the emotions bursting through his skull.

"Then who do you want?"

He could not say that. If he told the truth, then he would be gambling a lot of great things he was just starting to appreciate. Vulnerability was the best option, though. It had to be. Naruto gave the only answer he knew: "You."

Well, that was sudden.

For an almost painful second, neither of them said anything. Kurotsuchi was shocked at the announcement and was unsure as to what she should say or do. She was enraptured by the brilliance and emotion in Naruto's cerulean eyes. Somehow, the distance between the two of them was decreasing. Both of them were leaning closer to each other and for one brief moment, Kurotsuchi felt like she knew the meaning of things. She was going to kiss him, she told herself. She was going to show him how much he meant to her. She was going to feel something again. Much to her chagrin, the shadow ruined the moment with its oily essence sinking into her mind. She did not feel worthy of the happiness and love in her heart.

She had let a girl die, of course.

Kurotsuchi stopped her advancement and rose from her seat. "Excuse me," she whispered as she retired to her bedroom.

Naruto allowed his own shock and guilt to settle and clenched his hand. He remained seated, but his head was swimming. He stared absentmindedly at the empty seat where she had been sitting. Did she just reject him? It had to have been clear to both of them what that moment was. He had been vulnerable with her and she looked like she was about to comfort him. Did he read the situation incorrectly? Whatever that was, there was no mistaking he was hurt by her swift retreat. Naruto had learned to appreciate what he had and how not to live in agony for those who were no longer with him, but there were still times he felt destitute. Everybody felt that way from time to time though and it was important for loved ones to support each other during those times. So why did she do that? Naruto knew there must have been a rational reason for Kurotsuchi's actions but he did not care then.

Naruto grabbed his cloak and marched out of the suite. He had to find something that would wash away this pain.

When Kurotsuchi heard the door slam, she cried into her pillow. Her tears were hot, but her soul was lonely with the ice she had sheltered herself in. She did not know the shadow could feel so cold. She must have seemed like such a bitch handling that the way she did. But she could not help herself. It was the fucking shadow's fault! It was her guilt and doubt in herself. She remembered the thought that had passed her that morning. Originally, the thought had been joyful, but now it seemed sick and misshapen in the moment. She had wanted to tell Naruto about it but it would seem hollow now.

Today was Kurotsuchi's birthday.

Naruto drifted through the streets with relatively no sense of purpose. He spotted a quiet bar after roaming about for a little while. The bar was clean and simple with a few chairs scattered throughout the property. Naruto took a seat at the bar. He ordered a drink and surveyed the patrons around him. There was a decent number of people in the bar and no one seemed to be staring at him. He knew he was easily recognizable and was about to deem the whole thing to be odd when a young woman sat next to him at the bar.

His initial observation became false. The woman was staring directly at him, not even attempting to be coy in her endeavor. Her eyes were half-lidded with a dreamy gaze emitting from them. They appeared to be greenish-grey in the dim lighting of the establishment. Naruto found the woman to be quite attractive. Her hair was long and her figure was voluptuous. Based off her outward appearance, Naruto guessed she was probably a civilian. After several moments of the two exchanging obvious eye contact, the woman spoke with a heavenly voice. "I must be a lucky gal."

The bartender dropped off Naruto's drink and the blond took a strong gulp of it. Naruto was not sure how he should deal with the change of events, but he knew the woman could probably heal the pain in his chest. "Would you like a drink, miss?"

"My name's Hisa and you may." Naruto ordered her a drink and the woman leaned forward in her chair, the top of her dress gently revealing her well-endowed bust.

Naruto could feel the heat in his face increase. "Pleased to meet you, Hisa-san."

The woman giggled and it was a beautiful sound to Naruto's ears. He was not certain if he found it pleasant because of the circumstances or not. But he supposed that was something he could think about later. Now was the time to enjoy what he could and forget about the pain.

The beautiful woman leaned forward and kept her voice low. "There's no need to be so formal, considering what I want to do to you." During the last part of that sentence, she closed the gap between them and spoke into his ear.

Naruto could feel a pleasant shiver shoot up his spine. This woman was brash and seductive. Naruto had dealt with women like this before and had usually ignored them. He preferred women with a little more class, but he had to admit there was something about a woman being upfront that made his blood surge. Given his current predicament, the woman seemed to be the best person for Naruto's condition. He wanted to hold someone and make him feel loved. His mind was telling him that whatever the woman would bring him would be temporary and ignoble, but his heart did not care. He wanted some release. Naruto downed the rest of his drink in a hasty manner and felt the alcohol shoot through his head.

The woman must have picked up on his vulnerable state because she began kissing him after he finished his drink. After a few seconds, Naruto stopped her and grabbed her hand. He led the woman away from the bar and they found an alley where they continued their act. Naruto was so caught up in the pleasure of the woman's lips he neglected his better judgment. Naruto was still a virgin but he was no stranger to kissing. In recent years, Naruto had gone on many dates and kissed many females, but had never taken them to bed. Despite this, he wanted to forget about Kurotsuchi and the torment of what had happened earlier.

Naruto kept kissing.

Kurotsuchi sauntered through the streets in slow pursuit of Naruto. She kept telling herself she should have gone after him sooner. She wanted to apologize for her actions. She had let her emotions take over, something she despised. She used to be so logical and ruthless in her deeds and actions but ever since the shadow, she felt like she was becoming someone else. Naruto had been so vulnerable, so open with her and she had rejected him. Also there was no mistaking what he had said, Naruto wanted her. Perhaps, it was only made out of haste and carelessness, but she wanted to be sure of that. She needed to find him and settle the matter.

Kurotsuchi had been searching for the reclusive blond for some time until she rounded a corner and saw a couple sucking on each other's faces. At first glance, Kurotsuchi was about to roll her eyes and continue her search until she noticed the hair. The tall man's hair, even in the dark of night, was hard to not recognize.

Most women in this position would start to tear up, yell a profanity, and run away in a rush. The man would probably follow, apologize, and show how much he regretted the whole ordeal. That was the predictable solution to the problem. However, that was not Kurotsuchi. When she realized it was Naruto making out with a strange girl, Kurotsuchi felt immediate rage rise in her stomach.

Kurotsuchi plodded forward, grabbed the woman's hair, and yanked her away from the blond hero. The kunoichi pushed the woman against the opposite wall of the alley. Naruto's eyes were wide with disbelief and regret. Kurotsuchi gritted her teeth and hissed at the woman. "You slut! If you ever touch him again, I swear I'll tear your fucking tits off and slam them down your throat!"

The woman named Hisa had been threatened by women before, but never to such a terrifying degree. She nodded her head frantically and was released. She apologized profusely and ran out of the alley as fast as she could.

When the woman left, Kurotsuchi glared at Naruto behind her. Naruto's eyes were heavy with guilt. Before Kurotsuchi could hear the incoming apology, she sighed and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Naruto."

Naruto was having a difficult time hiding his confusion. Shouldn't she be yelling at him? The woman was scary when she was angry and reminded him of his mother to a great extent. He wondered how his father had handled this type of thing. Naruto rubbed the nape of his neck. "I'm pretty sure that I should be the one apologizing, Kurotsuchi."

Kurotsuchi looked defiantly at him and shook her head again. "No, you were only finding release. It's not like we're married or anything. We are merely traveling companions, right? You were only caught up in your emotions and saying what you wanted in the heat of the moment. When I couldn't give you what you needed, you found someone else that could give it to you." Kurotsuchi scowled as she looked in the direction of where Hisa had left. "But that woman was bad news, Naruto. I was protecting you from her." Kurotsuchi fixed her eyes back on Naruto and into the agony that was held within his features. She wanted to know the truth. "You were only lonely, right? That's why you said what you said."

Kurotsuchi wanted him to say that it was not so. She craved the answer she desperately needed. She needed to hear him say he meant what he had said. He wanted her and she needed for it to be true. When she heard Naruto's answer, her heart dropped.

"Yeah, you're right. I got carried away, Kurotsuchi. I'm sorry." Kurotsuchi smiled brightly and punched his arm. Her smile felt immediately like a lie. The shadow was in her heart too now. It covered her and told her it would alleviate the horrible pain. She decided to believe it, for his sake. She had to believe in something and regardless of the shadow's nature, at least, it was concrete. It did not lie like she did.

"Great, let's go back to the room." She felt her words hang in the air, dying with the moment. As the two of them moved through the streets towards their inn, Kurotsuchi saw a store clock display it was midnight. Kurotsuchi knew she would never forget this birthday for as long as she lived.

Certainly, that was not a lie.

I spent a long time on this chapter. I wanted to properly portray the emotions and I am still not sure if I did. There was a lot of internal debate on my part with this chapter. I decided that this was the best course of action and I hope that the majority of you all agree. I look forward to what all of your reactions will be. Thank you guys for reading! See you in the next chapter!

-CM