Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
CHAPTER 32
"Alright, see you back at the hotel," Naruto gave Jiraiya a mock salute before they parted ways on the empty dirt road, the Sannin sauntering down toward the city in the valley ahead, humming a jaunty tune in his eagerness for some metropolitan delight after the long weeks spent in the jungles and ruins of Uzushio. Naruto shook his head and chuckled at his mentor's lecherous plans, then turned to assess the leafy forest full of sturdy branches with a childish glee. The myriads of limbs that were perfect for leaping called to Naruto in a nostalgic desire to soar with the birds. A quick check of his senses assured him that no one was nearby to bear witness, and with a broad grin he ignited like a solar flare and flashed across the treetops to the coordinates he and Itachi had agreed upon.
Naruto felt the years fall away and relished the sweet memories of home and bounding through the outskirts of Konoha's sun dappled forests with his red scarf and his Hime trailing behind him. The wind carried him as he gave himself over to its manipulations, rolling through the gusts like a leaf tumbling through invisible currents. The beauty of the landscape touched his soul, and his spirit inhaled the rejuvenating sight. He practiced channeling his Nature Energy as he moved, flowing with the wind instead of fighting against it, searching for the pinpoint precision of divine balance between the pure elements of Nature and the demonic chakra of his Biju Modo, that precipice of existence which made the vastness of the universe come into focus and yet let the details of day to day life fade away.
As he launched himself with an almighty kick his body twisted to catch the breeze like a bird swooping through the air, the equilibrium of his dual identities perfected, and the glorious equipollent epiphany washed over his consciousness. Suddenly he wasn't Naruto, he was a creature of Kami's intentional design. He wasn't just alive, he was one with creation. He wasn't simply happy, he was high on the glorious complexity of his mere existence. There was no Konoha, no shinobi, no Akatsuki. Just day and night, birth and death, the circle of life. All the chaos fell away and what remained was the warm rays of the sun and the dedicated singularity of the earth as it faithfully spun along its axis in accordance with the choreography ordained by Kami's celestial song. Naruto raised his face to the sun, worshipping in the cathedral of Her creation as he bore witness to the majesty of Her works, and he once again felt the overwhelming inferiority of his life in comparison to the infinite complexity of the universe. The Energy of the Natural Elements poured through his internal network, enlivening every cell, every organ, every fiber of his merely human body, and it knit within him to elicit a purified emanation that filled his awareness with the essence of Kami Herself, and he felt Her smile upon his adoration, nourishing his mortal body with a restorative feast of serenity and strength.
As he landed and leapt from yet another treetop, a sudden irritation poisoned his adulation. Naruto slowed his arching progression across the treetops, squinting as he scanned the expansive undulations of the green canopies in search of the thorn amongst the roses. The beauty of the Natural Energy evaporated as he focused in on the invisible flaw in Kami's masterpiece and through his remaining Biju Modo he was able to pinpoint the malevolent source.
Naruto veered in the direction of the potent hatred he sensed, all the more revolting to his perception after experiencing the majesty of Kami's favor. His own irritation flared into righteous anger, how dare something poison this peaceful hovel with such malicious hatred? His eyes pulsed, but he managed to hold back the Rinnegan from spiraling into existence, instead drilling his slitted red eyes upon the dead tree up ahead.
The thing had been split down the middle by a long ago bolt of lightning, was devoid of any vegetation, and wormed through with beetle tracks. The branches curled like the claws that tipped each of Naruto's fingers. For some unexplainable reason it seemed, sentient. Aware of his approach, and frenzied at his nearing proximity. The emotion was rudimentary, so simple it was almost fake, but the power of its potency was very real.
Without hesitation, Naruto lunged for the emaciated tree, smashing his fist into the brittle bark of its split trunk with the ease of a sharp blade slicing through satin. The entity within the tree screamed in shocked pain, and two flat yellow eyes blinked up at him in horror from the seams of the bark, before the entirety of the tree burst into a viridescent kaleidoscope of vivacious flora. Naruto whipped around, scanning the surrounding forest for any other sign of the foul aura, but all that greeted his senses were chirping birds and the flap of a crow's wings.
Itachi morphed from the red-eyed crow, his feet touching the earth just as Naruto's body descended out of his demonic aura into his mortal state. The two shinobi stared at the tree, once dead, and now overwhelmed with life as its healed trunk and wide branches seemed to stretch in the breeze like a prisoner freed.
"What was that thing?" Naruto asked, his azure eyes turning to the solemn man whose Sharingan was glowing in astute observation.
"A 'Zetsu'. It is a mutation of humanity, a by-product of an imperfect resurrection. They have no soul, no real understanding of what it means to be human. They possess some chakra, a result of the jutsu used to create them, but are poor shinobi, and worse people. Unable to comprehend anything other than the most basic of emotions, with no understanding of the complexities of what is good or evil." Itachi's eyes dimmed into the inky black of his normal iris, and he furrowed his brow as he faced Naruto. "I was aware that they had been commanded by Leader to spy on the various people of the Hidden Villages, and lead us to the jinchuriki which he desires to capture, but out here in the middle of nowhere, I fear perhaps they are attempting to follow me."
Naruto crossed his arms, clenching his fists as worry for this man that he had come to respect plainly stated his fragile standing amongst the most vicious ninja of the shinobi world. If ever there was a martyr for justice, it was this unassuming person before him.
"Itachi-san, if there is anything I can do—"
"No."
Naruto barely bit back the growl that welled up within him, his sense of fairness more than offended at the blunt dismissal of his offered assistance. "Dead men cannot protect their precious people," he said in a strained voice. "It's okay to save yourself once in a while."
Itachi's lip twitched in a small smile, his gaze shifting from the now flourishing tree to the young man before him, who always seemed to see through him, even when he guarded himself the most. "My purpose in this world was never one of prosperity. I seek to be a useful tool of Kami's design, to see my brother thrive, to fulfill my role and retire to my eternal fate. Whatever it may be. I am not a saint, Naruto, even the Divine have tainted weapons."
The air shifted, as though the scenery was responding to their moral debate, lifting Naruto's cloak in a swirling breeze while Itachi squinted in the gust of wind, reaching up a hand to brush away the hair that beat into his face. They assessed each other, weighing the futility of their perspectives against the other's, and Naruto finally shook his head in frustration.
"And how is the Teme? Still running around with that creepy body snatcher?"
Itachi's eyes gleamed as he answered, "I have heard rumors that there is a new leader in the Sound Village. Some son of a local dignitary with unusual ideas for how to run a province full of mostly shinobi and outcasts the likes of which make the Bingo Books look like bedtime stories."
Naruto laughed, the comparison being the closest thing to a joke that he'd ever heard from the Uchiha informant. But he was also much quicker than most people realized, under his jovial exterior laid an observant demeanor that understood humanity in a way that few could equal. "So there's a puppet upon the throne in Sound, eh? And you think that Sasuke is pulling his strings?"
"Orochimaru would never relinquish control to another, he would simply assume the role himself, even if under disguise."
"I see," Naruto smirked, running a finger under his nose in thought. So it seemed his rival had been busy as well. Hopefully he's good enough to match Hime whenever she gets her hands on him.
If your mate finds him before you do, you may not have a rival.
Naruto bit back a snicker at Kurama's never subtle admiration of Hime, sometimes he wondered who liked her more. Itachi was looking at him with curiosity in his eyes, and Naruto sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. But before he could try to explain away his internal debate Itachi asked him, "That chakra surrounding you before, it was from the biju, but you were perfectly in control. Have you truly conquered your demon?"
The tails of Naruto's headband whipped back and forth as he vehemently shook his head. "We have forged a bond. He allows me to use his chakra and with it I fight for our united cause. I am not here to conquer people, only hatred." Naruto could feel the intensity of Itachi's scrutiny as he listened to the grandiose declaration, so he continued to eagerly explain. "I saw things in Uzushio, things that made me question my purpose, my real purpose. I want so much more than to just be Hokage, or just collect powerful jutsu and simply shove it in everyone's face that I am some super jinchuriki. I want peace. I want justice. I want to see everyone thriving together on this earth without fear of persecution. I want to save the world from itself."
Itachi's eyes widened slightly, a dramatic show of shock for the Uchiha, and he couldn't deny the ache in his heart for such a place. In a world like that, his family would still be alive, his brother would be happy, and the Leaf would be whole. But he'd heard such lofty words before. "Leader says much the same," he mused in a deep and solemn tone. "He wants to use the biju to wage war on the Hidden Villages, remove them all from power and establish The Akatsuki as the harbingers of peace. Through pain he seeks to unite humanity, removing the need for shinobi to maintain peace."
Thoughts of Ero-sennin passed through Naruto's mind, how he had spent a good portion of his life as a shinobi trying to foster hope for a better future in those around him, to balance out the deeds of his profession, only to be nearly murdered by his own student who now proclaimed to be some sort of dark savior. "This 'Leader' seems to have a very narrow view of mercy and a broad plan for punishment. Retribution must be balanced by compassion in order for respect to grow between shinobi and civilians, so that we can encourage cooperation instead of blind obedience out of fear. I have traveled through many a town that initially regarded me with uneasiness until I showed them that jutsu and chakra were not only for fighting battles."
"The Yondaime used to say much the same thing," Itachi said softly, looking upon his blond companion with a wistful gaze. "Sometimes I wonder, if he had lived, perhaps my clan would still exist…" Naruto saw the way the cold obsidian eyes of one of the most feared rogue Nin in all of the five nations softened ever so slightly as he contemplated the possibility of a future where martyrs were not necessary.
Naruto's shoulders hunched at the uncharacteristically sentimental comment, a gut twisting empathy hitting him as he thought of the ANBU child prodigy that was once Uchiha Itachi, and saw the worn assassin that now stood before him. He looked closer at the young man who had aged so prematurely under the burdens of his life, worn was perhaps an understatement. His face was paler than normal, and the lines under his eyes seemed deeper than ever. He knew Itachi wasn't healthy, but any questions had always been harshly denied. I wish I could take him back to Konoha. Hime says Sakura is renowned for her medical research, I wonder if she could help cure him?
But there were steps to be taken before that hill could be climbed. And Naruto's mind had also picked up on a comment made earlier that could help accomplish those steps much faster.
"Itachi, what did you mean earlier when you said that Zetsu was a 'resurrection'?"
The man bowed his head, closing his eyes as he pieced together the best explanation of the abominations that he so detested. "From what I can tell, Leader uses his Rinnegan to force chakra into the unique corpses that he creates from combining earth and water into a type of natural substance through a process similar to the Shodaime's Mokuton. They have no soul, but his dojutsu is able to produce a bastardized sort of life form with basic animal understanding, and fixed loyalty to its creator. I have seen him do the same but with human corpses, they retain their chakra affinities and abilities, but once again are simply soulless drones. He calls them the 'Paths of Pein', and he can only maintain six at a time."
Naruto's mind was now spinning a mile a minute. "Can the Rinnegan place a unique soul back into a specific body?" He had been scouring every carving, wall mosaic, scroll, and folklore he could find on his new dojutsu, searching in Uzushio, Mt. Myoboku, and even grilling his parents. This was the reason he had made arrangements to meet with the only other person he could trust that had seen the Rinnegan in action.
Itachi frowned, obviously not pleased at the possibility of the Akatsuki possessing such an ability, but shook his head in honest ignorance. "I have not seen him attempt it. I can imagine it would require an immense amount of chakra, and his Rinnegan is not really his own natural eye, so I believe it has limitations."
"Not his own?" Naruto's face scrunched up in consternation. "Where did he get a Rinnegan from?" And at such a young age, Ero-sennin said he's had it since he was a child.
"I am not sure, but I have told you about the other man, the one who never is seen but even Leader appears to obey. I believe he knows the eye's origins. And that he uses this information to maintain a forced loyalty of some sort." Itachi stood calmly as ever while Naruto began pacing back and forth, his mind always worked better when he was moving.
It could be why his Rinnegan is not the same as yours. They were implanted from a mind already tainted with hatred, and then influenced further by a contemptuous man's preachings after his time with the Toad Sannin. As he got older and more powerful it would only lead to increasingly impure jutsu, and cause his Zetsu to be creatures that reflected his hatred. It was the hatred that the creature carried which you detected while channeling my chakra.
Ah, and between the hate-filled Rinnegan and teachings he became so twisted that he would kill his best friend for power over the Akatsuki and turn on his childhood teacher. And it would make sense that a corrupt character could produce differences in the bloodline of its owner, the same way Sasuke's Mangekyo is a result of his attempt on my life, but Hime's Byakugan is one of the strongest in her clan because of its purity and her healthier mental balance.
Itachi was mutely watching Naruto mumble to himself, he had learned long ago that this particular jinchuriki had a unique relationship with his Demon, and was always keenly fascinated by the way he could interact with such equanimity between himself and an immortal entity. The next question from Naruto's mouth only further reflected the fact that he was several thoughts further in a mental conversation that Itachi was not privy to.
"The biju that he has already captured, where are they now?"
"The jinchuriki are in a coma-like state, being kept alive by cocoons created with the same type of substance that Leader uses to make the Zetsu. Once he has captured them all…I am not sure exactly what the next step will be, only that he means to use them to conquer the world."
"But they are alive?" Naruto asked intensely while stepping closer, and Itachi thought he saw his fierce blue eyes begin to slit like a fox's. He nodded warily, for while he trusted the son of Minato implicitly, the Kyuubi was another matter.
"Yes, four of them, two from Stone, one from Lightning, and one from Taki. And we have heard rumors that the three tails may be loose somewhere in Kiri."
Naruto slammed a fist into his palm, determination sweeping through his mind as he felt Kurama thrash his tails at the news of his brother being vulnerable and out in the open. "Thank you, Itachi! I will do whatever it takes to keep the rest of the biju out of the Akatsuki's grasp."
Their time was nearly up, and they both knew it, lengthy meetings were never wise between informants. Naruto placed a hand on Itachi's shoulder, piercing him with eyes full of concern that made the Uchiha see their resemblance to another Namikaze who used to look at him in the same way. "Take care of yourself Itachi. When this is over, I will have a place for you in Konoha. That's a promise!"
As Itachi blinked in surprise, the blond disappeared in a yellow flash, leaving the man who saw himself as undeserving of forgiveness, contemplating the heartbreakingly sweet idea of salvation.
Hinata walked out into the dying daylight and sank down onto the wooden planks of the engawa, massaging her temples as she took in deep breaths of the humid air. Summer was dwindling in Konoha, but the humidity kept the night warm and she could feel that her bangs were stuck to her face with the perspiration from her healing efforts. The moist atmosphere offered little relief from the stuffy room where three Hyuga now lay suffering from the after effects of a punishing jutsu that the clan had thought perished from their history with the previous leader.
She felt the boards shift under her as Hiro-san shuffled up from behind, and heard the soft clink of a tea tray being placed by her side. Hinata turned up her face and offered the woman a grateful smile, reaching for the steaming cup as she tucked her feet up beneath her and leaned back against the sturdy post which supported the roof.
"You need to take more breaks Hina-chan," Hiro scolded her gently, pulling a small jar of salve from her pocket and setting on the tray before settling down onto a wooden bench. "Your fingertips are raw with chakra burns. Hizashi-sama has enough to worry about without you collapsing on us."
Hinata shifted guiltily as she tried to disguise the way she held her hot cup with her palms, the tender tips of her fingers were painfully sensitive to the heat radiating through the china. She blew softly over the rim of her cup before answering with a hint of frustration to her tone. "There is no one else who can help them. The Elders have forbidden us from going to the Hokage, and Otousan agrees with them. I understand that this is a sensitive matter, but this makes five victims in just the last month." She glanced over her shoulder into the room where candles glowed dimly, an attempt to not further irritate the painful migraines that still plagued the latest victims, her gaze settling on the motionless form of the man on the far left. It had been three days and he had not so much as blinked. Hinata feared the worst, that his brain had been damaged beyond repair by the sudden activation of his seal. He was by far the worst case yet, and frustration at the unknown cause of it all flowed through Hinata's body as she spun back around to face the sunset, agitatedly swinging her feet from the porch like a restless child.
"I'm sure they are doing everything they can, just like you," Hiro-san leaned forward and pulled the limp strands of midnight hair back from Hinata's scowling face, adopting a matronly tone as she neatly separated the thick tresses into three parts and began to braid them together. "Neji-kun will be here shortly, why don't you go rest? I can manage with him for a while."
Hinata sighed and closed her eyes, wanting to purr like a cat under the gentle tugs on her scalp. She could smell the sweat that clung to her skin, and the thought of escaping to the refreshing river water made her spirit lift. She had been the main caretaker of the victims, being the only Hyuga formally trained in medical jutsu. This fact was not lost upon the council.
Three days ago Hinata had sat for an hour through a heated council meeting, arguing her beliefs on the victims' treatment. "More Hyuga need actual medical training", she had fiercely asserted. "But more than anything we need to seek help to modify the seal or eliminate it all together, before we lose everything we have worked for."
"Impossible, Hiashi destroyed the chakra key left by the seal designer," one of the Elders had growled, his tone implying what he thought of the young woman's presence in the council chambers.
"Then we need to find someone to recreate it, or find a way around it. I know a shinobi who—"
"You know an awful lot for a chunin," another council member had snapped. "It seems like all our solutions need to go through you. Your treatments. Your advice. Your ideas. Your connections. Have you forgotten your place? The Clan has only just escaped one dictator, I do not wish to replace him so quickly!"
"Thats enough!" Hizashi had brought down his fist upon the table with just enough force to convey his anger without seeming to be outraged. "My daughter has only ever done what she thinks is best for the Hyuga. She is the apprentice of the Godaime, I see no reason to disregard her words."
Next to him Neji had silently drilled each person with steel hardened eyes, making it plain that the successor of the Clan Head agreed with his father's words. The meeting had been dismissed shortly thereafter, emotions were running too high to discuss anything with any hope of progress. It had been later that night that the most recent victim had fallen, a guard on gate duty who suffered from such a massive seizure that he had yet to awaken.
The elaborate scare tactics were spreading paranoia amongst the closely knit clan. Neighbors were looking twice at one another, guards patrolled the inside of the compound at all hours, one Elder had suggested enforcing a curfew. The dream of a united Hyuga seemed further away than ever.
And they had no idea who was doing it.
Hinata hadn't realized how tightly she was gripping her empty cup until she felt it slowly yanked from her clutches. She looked up into her brother's concerned face, and tried to smile at him as she accepted his extended hand and stood to her feet. The sun was gone from sight and the radiant magentas of the disappearing sunset streaked the wispy clouds that hovered high in the sky. Her back cracked and popped as she straightened up, testifying to the hours she had spent hunched over her patients.
Neji's dark brows drew together in a display of concern that sat upon his features more and more often when he looked at his sister. She was tired and stressed, they all were. But she was also lonely, he could see it in the wistful way she patted the pocket of her shirt where he knew she always kept Naruto's latest letter. The most genuine smiles she had were when she stole away to read his words under the tree of their childhood training ground where the three of them had taken their first steps as friends and shinobi. He knew she considered himself to be one of her closest confidants, but he was under no illusions as to the depth of her connection with Naruto, even if she had not made it known amongst the Hyuga…yet.
"Go relax Imoto," Neji told her in a tone he hoped sounded authoritative as he set the rescued tea cup down on the tray Hiro-san had left. Hinata blinked, wondering when the woman had departed, so lost she had been in her thoughts and worries. She glanced at the doors to the room that had become the infirmary for her patients but Neji placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "They will be here when you get back, I promise. An empty flask can quench no one's thirst."
Hinata huffed at his condescending words, but squeezed his fingers in appreciation of his care. The first cool breeze of the whole day shifted through the arriving twilight, and her less than fresh body odor wafted up to her nose. Perhaps a visit to the water was just what she needed after all.
The heavens danced around her as she spread her chakra into the water. She was the moon, revolving in a pirouette of perfect centrifugal balance, the droplets around her sparkled like the stars of the sky as they reflected the glow of her power. The purple aura caressed her body as she commanded it through her network, and the Byakugo no In pulsed in time with the veins on her temples. She pushed outwards, pouring her wells of chakra through the entire atmosphere, touching every precious bead of liquid within her endless sight, her exquisite control, her equanimous consciousness. Tremendous waves of stored chakra, the likes of which no one comprehended she could ever possess, rippled the atmosphere, joining in her lunar performance. Hinata reached deeper, further, faster, whipping the elements around her body into a crescendo that would rival the intensity of an orchestra, her fingers conducting the gift of her talents into a display of beauty for Kami's eyes.
Her mind fractured into a million directions, tracing the path of each molecule of moisture with her kekkei genkai, connecting them again and again into a chain of consciousness that felt the breath of every creature, every exhalation, and every movement. Her Byakugan sharpened into a crystalline picture that could see further than any eye on the earth, and Kami smiled upon her little moon goddess, drinking in the rivers that poured from her oceans of worship, and raining down more blessings upon her.
Hinata felt the touch of the moonlight upon her like the tender brush of a mother's hand against her cheek, and her heart soared. With renewed determination, she threw her entire existence into continually seeking that embrace and flickered swiftly across the multifaceted reflections of the starry waters.
The moon was high overhead when she finally dragged herself out of the river and collapsed into a boneless heap of contented exhaustion upon the large rock that hung out over the water. A quick check assured her that the privacy seal Naruto had taught her was still firmly in place upon the tree by where her clothes were discarded. After the Bikochu mission he had given her a customized array that he promised would keep her little training sessions completely unwitnessed and uninterrupted by anyone on the outside of the invisible barrier, while still allowing her to see and hear everything.
Hinata sighed as she settled onto her back, the rock was still warm from the sunshine, but the cool air carried a hint of autumn. The change of seasons reminded her that Naruto-kun's birthday was only two weeks away, and she sighed again, but with much more longing. Her mind drifted over the letter she had received yesterday, promising he and Jiraiya would be back in time to take the Jonin Exams, and she bit her lip at the excited butterflies that still engulfed her stomach when she thought about having him home again, in her arms again, kissing her again…
Heat that had nothing to do with the weather bloomed in her face as she sat up and pulled her hair over her shoulder, languidly untangling the sopping wet braid that reached past her hips. Hinata twisted the thick plait, wringing out rivulets of water that trickled over her hands and down her arms. Fat drops fell from her bangs onto her chest, rolling over her curves and between her breasts. Her mind wandered back to another night by a different river, when her hands had been tangled up in spiky blond locks instead of sliding through her own dark hair, and seemingly of their own volition her fingers traced down the side of her neck and danced over the swell of her chest, which tingled under the delicate touch.
Her breath caught at the sensitivity of her own caress, but she didn't fight the shiver that slid down her spine as her wayward fingers circled her quickly peaking nipple. Kami, she must be desperate, because all it took was the thought of his mouth following the path of her fingers for her head to roll back and her eyes to slide shut in delicious bliss. She felt the heat that flushed her cheeks travel down into her belly, pooling into a tempting ache that begged for satisfaction.
Mental images long treasured for such lonely nights were flashing through her mind as she allowed herself to lean back on one arm and guide his imagined touch across her tense body. She dragged her nails down her abdomen, flattening her palm across her hips and gliding it as though it was his own rough hand seeking purchase on her while he pinned her down. Her center started to throb with need, but she ignored it, squeezing her thighs together to delay her own satisfaction as fantasies she would never admit to conjuring played out in her mind.
The throbbing climbed up her gut and radiated over her torso, making the Hiraishin seal on her back pulse in sync with her desire. The moment of his marking, when he had wrapped his strong arm around her, pulling her into him, pressing her breasts into his chest, her hips into his abdomen, and himself into her thigh…a moan escaped her at the memory. He had been so tired, so enraptured, so focused on his task, that she didn't think he even realized that she had been very aware of his firm length. But she had definitely not forgotten, she only wished she could know more.
Her hand gripped her thigh on the place where she had felt his rigid desire against her body, and in the nearly painful grip of her own hand she missed the way her chakra flared with her escalating arousal.
Naruto was standing under the shower of the hotel room when the sudden sensation hit him, so powerful it was dizzying and he reached out to brace himself against the tiled wall. What the hell was that? It feels like…Hime?
He closed his eyes and opened his senses, quickly latching onto her Hiraishin seal, fear that she was in trouble making his heart pound. But when he solidly locked onto her, a wave of emotions stole his breath away, and he grunted as he hunched over, cradling his stomach as it lurched in excitement over an event he didn't understand. This doesn't feel like a summoning, the chakra isn't right. It's more like an...overflow. Her chakra is spilling into the seal along with her emotions. There had been a moment, the last time they said goodbye, when he had thought he could sense her sadness and love, but he figured it was just a product of their strong connection and close embrace. Perhaps, it was more than that? Maybe their deeper chakra connection and his closer proximity here in a city on the edge of the Land of Fire had allowed him to tap into the emotions that were carried on her chakra through the seal?
The beating of his heart didn't slow, and he decided to test out this new theory, honing in on her mark and opening his senses while pushing his own chakra into their connection. The unmistakable thrill of adrenaline that made his chest tighten whenever he held her in his arms engulfed his mind. He missed his Hime desperately, thought of her constantly, day dreamed of seeing her smiling face once more. But the longing that was pouring through their connection reminded him more of the dreams that owned his sleep, when he awoke in the morning with more frustration than satisfaction.
Even now, his desire was rapidly rising in response to her intensity, his mouth dropped slightly open as he felt his own carnal instincts react. It was like a very fuzzy dream, nothing was distinct, but the essence was there, and it was full of yearning. Naruto grunted as his body responded to the overwhelming lust that her emotions were fostering within him, the connection like a hot iron that stoked his body with her passion, settling into his groin with a heat that drew his hand downwards over his wet torso until he found himself gripping his hardening cock. He could picture her in his mind, splayed out beneath him with her midnight hair trailing off the bed, his mouth following her fingers down her neck and across her collarbone. The fantasy was vivid and familiar to his lonely mind, but the responding surges of passion that he felt pouring out from her made it feel all too real, and he stroked himself firmly under the hot water, unable to hold back the hunger for her body. His eyes flew open as a new thought invaded the haze of longing, she's…she's doing this too?
Hinata jumped as the seal on her back suddenly came alive, and she arched as the powerful sensation of his chakra throbbed upon her skin. The need that had been building up within her from her own erotic teasing magnified under the influence of the passionate emotions spilling from his unique chakra. The sensation was like stepping into a hot spring that engulfed her body, and she gasped as she instinctively wrapped her arms around her chest, escalating the riveting sensation by pressing her breasts together. She had not realized that her chakra was so agitated with need, and now it seemed to have triggered him as well. An idea occurred that made her heart pound. Is he responding to me?
The mental image of him standing over her, watching her with dark eyes as she stretched out under the moonlight, bare to the heavens and kneading the fullness of her own breasts until her nipples were stiff in the cool air spurred a boldness within her, and Hinata gave into her lust, caving like a ship in a storm. She wasn't sure how much he could feel, but she wanted him to sense her. Let him drown in her desire. She dragged her hands down her stomach, moaning freely for her imagined spectator, mentally stripping him down layer by layer until he was like a marble statue of male perfection under the pale glow of the moon. She could practically see the carnal desire in his pointed gaze as she clawed her fingers, dragging them up her thighs and pressing her legs open, daring him to hold back at the glimpse of her hot core.
Naruto couldn't hold back, his fist pumping eagerly up and down his throbbing erection as her surging lust dragged him along down a spiral of vivid fantasy. The Hime in his mind was writhing beneath him, digging her nails into his broad shoulders as he groped for purchase on her round ass with rough hands. She was begging him for more, leveraging her hips up into his groin in a siren call for him to fill her, to satisfy her, to fuck her.
His shoulders tensed and flexed under the beating water of the shower as he bit his lips hard in an attempt to stifle his groans. His fantasy was eating him alive, he could almost smell the musky sweat of her body and their skin slicked together. Practically feel the moist dampness of her folds as his fingers teased her open for him, thrusting first one, then two, deep inside her tight depths as she keens out his name with abandon.
Hinata couldn't hold back her scream as she sank a trembling finger into her wet center, her body curling up under the immense tension winding tightly under her kneading hand. Her imaginary Naruto-kun had given up on simply being a bystander, and she closed her eyes as she pictured him falling to his knees before her and throwing her legs over his muscled shoulders, sinking his sharp teeth into her inner thigh with a delicious pain that he instantly soothed away with hot kisses. His mouth trailed down, pulled toward her soaked center, and she whimpered as his tongue darted out to flick across her clit. A second finger joined her first and she rolled her thumb over her firm nub, the tingling sparks of her building climax bringing her fever dream into even sharper focus as Hinata called out her lover's name.
"Naruto-kun!" his fantasy Hime was crying out his name now, and Naruto panted as his hips snapped reflexively with each pump of his hand down his hot shaft. The pressure building up in his groin fed into the tension of his fantasy as he sank his cock deep inside her, thrusting hard enough to rock her breasts until he pinned them under his large hands. In his mind's eye he leaned back, kneeling between her spread legs as he watched himself disappear into her over and over again, the sound of her voice a chant in his mind. "Fuck, Hime." He growled, grabbing her hips and bringing her firmly down onto him, his eyes locking onto her face, her cheeks flushed a sinful red and her eyes dancing through her dark lashes. "Come for me, Hime." Each thrust of his pelvis synchronized with a pulse of chakra, and his words projected out from his mind to reach for her across the miles. Come for me, now!
Hinata felt the surging of his chakra, each wave more powerful than the last, her hand working in time with the beat of his passion, her fingers diving deeply into her tightening pussy and gripping her breast. In her mind she threaded her hands through his golden hair, pulling his hot mouth against her as the glorious pressure of his tongue worked her clit in tandem with his thrusting fingers. "Naruto-kun, I'm going...to..." NOW.
Their chakras peaked and burst together, euphoria crashed over their senses and wracked their bodies as their minds united in a rhapsody of blinding pleasure. Their pounding hearts beat in a rhythm that met in perfect time even over the impossible distance. And as they each panted out their climax they felt their chakras mellow into the warm glow of burning embers, cozy and familiar, and carrying the nearly audible whispers of their souls to one another, I love you.